Avocado 24/7 Thread

[LEOOEL]

“Watch–List”
A cultivar by cultivar review from the point of view of whether these avocado varieties are being grown (field tested) in South Florida, USA.
And, to ultimately verify whether they’ll fill the ‘S.Florida-Winter Avocado Void’ (‘SFL-WAV’) months of the year of March, April and May.

Key:
Underlined 'cultivars' are recommended for field testing, those that are not underlined are already being grown by 'Forum Members'.
Strikethrough 'cultivars' have been reported to mature outside the 'SFL-WAV.' They'll be kept for the record, on the "Watch-List.'

Potential 'SFL-WAV' cultivars:
Group 1: 'Sharwil,' 'Fujikawa,' 'Utuado,' 'Jan-Boyce,' ‘Reed,’ ‘Green-Gold,’ ‘Linda,’ 'Fuerte' and 'Wurtz.'
Group 2: ‘Winter-Mexican’ and ‘Winter-Mexican-Seedling (CTMIAMI).’
Group 3: ‘Don-Carlitos,’ ‘Vero-Beach’  and ‘Cellons’ Avocado.
Group 4 (Hawaiians): ‘San Miguel,’ ‘Kahaluu,’ ‘Malama,’ ‘Murashige.’

'San Miguel:' This variety is being propagated in Hawaii and in Miami (by CTMIAMI), and other than the tree(s) are growing phenomenally well, no further information is available, so we'll have to wait and see.

'Kahaluu:' This is an all around top notch quality avocado variety. In avocado quality competitions conducted by chefs in Hawaii, it consistently placed at second place ('Linda' took first place). It matched first place in flavor and texture, and it was notably preferred for the peeling characteristic. A description on CTMIAMI's website says: "Kahalu'u is a mammoth fruit with glowing green skin, silk-smooth butter-colored flesh and a rich, slightly citrusy flavor." CTMIAMI is field testing the variety in South Florida. CTMIAMI has reported in his website that it likes it here and it's growing nicely. I was surprised at how tasty the fruit 'looks' on the picture(s). More information on this variety can be obtained at CTMIAMI's website:
http://www.myavocadotrees.com/don-carlitos-avocado.html

'Malama:'  Malama is a Hawaii selection that is a regular, heavy bearer. Skin is purple when ready to eat, easy to peel. The fruits have plenty of flesh, with a rich and nutty flavor. The fruit has a high oil content, more than 20%, and is deliciously creamy. In Hawaii, it has been in the top two picks by chefs, in avocado variety contests. This variety is currently being field tested in South Florida by CTMIAMI.

'Murashige:' Murashige avocados are large, green-skinned fruit with a small seed and excellent flavor. They weigh in at 24 to 32 oz. and are about 20 percent oil. They can be difficult to harvest, as the stem easily pulls out of the fruit. CTMIAMI has mentioned (on this Forum) that they are growing well at low elevations in Hawaii, and thus it should work for us in Florida. CTMIAMI's website metions that "If in Hawaii the fruit matures between June and August, in So. Florida it  would probably be 2-3 weeks later." More reports will be needed to determine whether regular, or alternate bearer. CTMIAMI is field testing this variety and has reported that the grafted trees are doing well.

[Luisport]

"Nabal" avocado from Peru, that i found in a supermarket is the best avocado i ever eat. Perfect flavour, fiberless, very small seed, big fruit  and soft like butter!

[CTMIAMI]

Yes Nabal is an interesting fruit. I have a small grafted tree on a growing program to get bud wood to top work a tree in December.
I have a few trees looking for adoptive home in So. Florida so we could have back ups of some of the more difficult to get varieties. I have Malama 3 gal, Queen 7 gal (big) and  Kahaluu 3 gal when I get bud wood I graft 2-3 containers tree,  once the top worked tree is doing well I need to clear the staging area of the container trees.

[nullzero]

Nabal looks very similar to Reed in size and shape. Sounds like an avocado I would love to grow if its anything like Reed.

[LEOOEL]

Updated “Avocado Watch–List”
A cultivar by cultivar review from the point of view of whether these avocado varieties are being grown (field tested) in South Florida, USA.
And, to ultimately verify whether they’ll fill the ‘S.Florida-Winter Avocado Void’ (‘SFL-WAV’) months of the year of March, April and May.
Key:
Underlined 'cultivars' are recommended for field testing, those that are not underlined are already being grown by a 'Forum Member(s)'.
Strikethrough 'cultivars' have been reported to mature outside the 'SFL-WAV.' They'll be kept for the record, on the "Watch-List.'

Potential 'SFL-WAV' cultivars:
Group 1: 'Sharwil,' 'Fujikawa,' 'Utuado,' 'Jan-Boyce,' ‘Reed,’ ‘Green-Gold,’ ‘Linda,’ 'Fuerte' and 'Wurtz.'
Group 2: ‘Winter-Mexican’ and ‘Winter-Mexican-Seedling (CTMIAMI).’
Group 3: ‘Don-Carlitos,’ ‘Vero-Beach’  and ‘Cellons’ Avocado.
Group 4: ‘San Miguel,’ ‘Kahaluu,’ ‘Malama,’ ‘Murashige.’
Group 5: ‘Gwen,’ ‘Santa-Ana-Hass,’ ‘Lamb-Hass,’ ‘Sir-Prize,’ ‘Holiday.'
Group 6: ‘Nabal,’ ‘Queen’ ...

Thank you Luisport for posting the photo of the 'Nabal' avocado that you are enjoying in Portugal, it looks like a very promising variety.
It's amazing that CTMIAMI also has it here in South Florida, USA. Nullzero, 'Sharwil,' 'Reed' and 'Nabal' seem to be excellent avocado choices.

A Note on Mango 24/7
Perhaps, it's worth it to concider that by crossing these varieties (below), the result could be the creation of a new quality variety(ies), that could fill the 'S. Florida Winter Mango Void.'
The mango varieties that border the 'S. Florida Mango Void' months of December, January and February are:
'Keitt:' fruit matures up to the month of November (and possibly December, if the tree is not fertilized),
'Miracle:' inconsistently can produce fruit from December to January; if the tree is given a few electrical jolts, could this positively affect production? (   sorry, couldn't resist),
'Rosy-Gold:' has produced fruit in February for Forum Member mangomandan; it reliably produces fruit in early March.

[CTMIAMI]

As these guys talked about the Nabal and Reed it remind it me of a fruit Adam gave me a while back. A seedling named  Kimber. Leo somewhere in there there may be room for it. Hoping it matures around January ++
http://www.myavocadotrees.com/kimber-avocado.html

http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=2097.msg53474#msg53474

[TREESNMORE]

Carlos
Here is three pictures of the daisy fruit. The fruit is ready now nice buttery flavor.

[CTMIAMI]

Mike a real beauty.

[LEOOEL]

 ...

[Mark in Texas]

Carlos
Here is three pictures of the daisy fruit. The fruit is ready now nice buttery flavor.

That is really nice!  What's in its background, Dupuis, Pinkerton?

[TREESNMORE]

I dont no I am trying to find out for Carlos

[JF]

Carlos
Here is three pictures of the daisy fruit. The fruit is ready now nice buttery flavor.

That is really nice!  What's in its background, Dupuis, Pinkerton?

That looks just like my Pinkerton...I wonder if just mislabeled??

[TREESNMORE]

Is your tree a dwarf this one is. It is 4 to 5 feet 5 years old and full of fruit

[CTMIAMI]

JF the Pinkerton observation is worth noting. The maturity for Pinkerton is Florida starts October  first. Close.

These can be a seedling of Pinkerton. Note that the seed and cavity are different. Also the overall shape is slightly different and so is the seed and cavity.  It could be a better Florida Pinkerton.

[JF]

Is your tree a dwarf this one is. It is 4 to 5 feet 5 years old and full of fruit

Mike, Pinkerton are semi dwarf. I whacked two inches Above the graft 18 months ago because I didn't like how it was growing and it's 12'. I'll take pics and cut one open in 2 weeks

[Mark in Texas]

I meant to say Pinkerton or Russell (not Dupois).

[LEOOEL]

Potential 'SFL-WAV' cultivars
Key:
Underlined avocado 'cultivars' are recommended for field testing, those that are not underlined are already being grown by a 'Forum Member(s)'.
Strikethrough 'cultivars' have been reported to mature outside the 'SFL-WAV.' They'll be kept for the record, on the "Watch-List."
...
Group 5: ‘Gwen,’ ‘Santa-Ana-Hass,’ ‘Lamb-Hass,’ ‘Sir-Prize,’ ‘Holiday.'
...
'Gwen:' A seedling bred from 'Hass' x 'Thille' in 1982. The 'Gwen' tree is higher yielding and more dwarfing than Hass in California. The fruit has an oval shape. It is frost-hardy down to −1 °C (30 °F). This variety requires little more than a third of the space of the typical avocado tree and produces "twice" as much fruit. The tree naturally grows about 15 feet in height, but can be kept even smaller because the tree lends itself easily to pruning as it has small limbs. The fruit is set in huge numbers uniformly throughout the tree. Gwen avocados are similar to the Hass in appearance, taste, and texture, but are larger. The green skin is more finely pebbled than Hass, it's thick but pliable, is dull green when ripe with a gold-green and creamy flesh. Most productive of dwarf avocados, best dwarf for outdoor use, also for containers and greenhouse. Season: It's available late winter through late summer; Feb./March/April to Sept./October. As mentioned earlier on this Thread, Forum Member CTMIAMI is field testing this exciting variety.

[Mark in Texas]

'Gwen:'.... The tree naturally grows about 15 feet in height, but can be kept even smaller because the tree lends itself easily to pruning as it has small limbs. The fruit is set in huge numbers uniformly throughout the tree.

Here's my Gwen cleft graft to a Florida pit spring of last year.  Speaking of fruit set, this little gal must have had hundreds of flowers this spring, couldn't believe it.   I hand picked them all off but hope to get fruit spring of 2014.   Being a small tree is a bonus.  I think folks would love to have dwarf trees that fruit well.  Very much like the Gwen, you might want to consider GEM discussed here - http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/homeandgarden/ci_14997130

Gwen: An "awesome avocado you don't see sold anymore. Those lucky enough to have a Gwen tree will appreciate the small tidy tree size, great flavor better than Hass if left to ripen the full 16-plus months it needs, productivity if you've got several other avocados that aren't Hass to pollinate it. Not quite as hardy as Hass, it's been abandoned by the nurseries because it's tough to propagate, being weak, and slow to get growing, and insufficiently promiscuous."

Gem: A new seedling of Gwen, more vigorous, very compact, precocious, with good productivity. Gem has big Hass-like fruit. Menge noted that their own tree was "hardier than Gwen and set and held a couple dozen fruit before its second year in the ground."   

I have not realized any of the shortcomings mentioned in  his last statement regarding Gwen.

[Jack, Nipomo]

I believe Westfalia Fruit Estates, in S. Africa has tied up GEM and Carmen Hass (Hass Carmen).

[johnb51]

Carlos, do you have Gwen?  I don't see it on your website.

[CTMIAMI]

John yes I do, I have a small tree and will top work a tree in December-January, then I'll start coverage

[Mark in Texas]

I believe Westfalia Fruit Estates, in S. Africa has tied up GEM and Carmen Hass (Hass Carmen).

Correct.  Brokaw is involved too.

[Jack, Nipomo]

Actually Brokaw ranks the taste of GEM as only "good" compared to their ranking of Hass and others as "excellent".  May have more to do with seasonality, production, and other factors.

[Mark in Texas]

Actually Brokaw ranks the taste of GEM as only "good" compared to their ranking of Hass and others as "excellent".  May have more to do with seasonality, production, and other factors.

Agreed.  I have an old Cali. Avocado Varietal Characteristics matrix and amongst 12 cultivars, it lists GEM under a U.C.R 'experimental' category with an excellent rating on "Overall Quality" and "Taste"

[Jack, Nipomo]

http://brokawnursery.com/varieties-blog/avocado.html


Not sure how accurate UCR is in evaluating avocados as my Gordo is considered an excellent fruit in taste, but not by Julie Frink who curates their varietal collection, nor do I with my Gordo fruits.  Brokaw is highly respected in the industry, especially with their advanced techniques (etiolation for clonal rootstock) and superior trees and rootstock.  Hank Brokaw provided me with many of the citrus and avocado trees I grow 38 years ago along with advice as to citrus rootstock etc. for our soils and climate.  Interestingly, a B & B citrus with 2 inch trunk was $3.50 wholesale in those days.  Today, their trees are still superior and their nursery is about 2 hours S. of here and we have C & M avocado and citrus nursery just 1/2 mile away, but in time the Brokaw product is far better. I still, at times, help out neighbors buying from Brokaw. My collection has been filled out thanks to Julie and UCR's varietal collection, but these are self grafted on my rootstock (don't need Dusa, sand soil).

Here's a list that is far more comprehensive with Julie's input and the B & O register.
http://www.avocadosource.com/AvocadoVarieties/QueryDB.asp