Ken Stockton (TucsonKen) who lives in NW Tucson, Arizona did some testing of avocaodo varieties he grows. He has grafted my Hamada avocado on his tree and mentions how it is doing compared to the other varieties on the tree.
Here's his report/status on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=acovado%20in%20Tucson%20Arizona%2C%20ken%20stocktonHere's the text if you don't go on Facebook.
Ken Stockton · ·
For anyone interested in my multi-grafted avocado trial in NW Tucson, here's a brief history, followed by an update: A 1-gal Wilma purchased in 2012 was planted in the yard in 2013. It grew vigorously and fruited in 2015, but after a few years I wasn't satisfied with the fruit and in 2021 I started grafting on other varieties. In 2023 I cut it back mostly to stubs and added many more varieties. Out of a total of 44 different varieties since I started grafting, 25 range from "recently dead" to "doing great."
My goal was to identify at least one variety of decent quality that would do well in Tucson's climate (hot, dry summer interrupted by monsoon-style downpours, with occasional hard freezes in winter). To complicate matters, one of the scions I grafted (I have no idea which, or from what source) was infected with ASBVd (Avocado Sunblotch Viroid disease) and now the whole tree has it, so as I try to draw conclusions about quality and performance from my observations I can't be sure what's due to the variety, and what may be a result of the disease. I'm assuming the disease is probably never beneficial, so if a variety does well it would probably do better without the disease--but if it does poorly, I can't be certain the variety is to blame.
The tree experienced two nights this past winter with lows just below, and just above, 24 degrees Fahrenheit. I wasn't ready to leave some of the grafts totally unprotected, so I added a heat lamp about 30 inches above the ground, aimed at the ground, as well as a 100 watt incandescent shop light at the same height at the other side of the tree. So, depending on proximity to the heat sources, some grafts received at least some protection.
In 2023 I focused most attention on Mexican varieties due to their greater cold-hardiness, and also sought out "backyard" seedling trees that were reported to have good fruit. These either had "owner" names or were unnamed by the sender (in which case I invented a name to help me keep track of it), so several of the names listed below won't be recognizable. I've identified them with an asterisk.
I added multiple grafts of several varieties, but in the results below, if more than one scion was grafted, I only list the most vigorous (although sometimes multiple grafts were included in photos). The entries include name, year grafted, length of longest stem coming from the scion, presence or absence of flower buds, and a very brief assessment of freeze damage. I started trying to organize them in categories, but mostly gave it up. In general, though, the better-performing varieties are higher on the list:
Mexicola Grande 2022 28", flower buds, no freeze damage
Aravaipa 2022 80", lots of flower buds, no freeze damage
Mexicola 2023 64", lots of flower buds, minor freeze damage
Duke 2021 multiple branches, longest 40", lots of flower buds, no freeze damage
Jade 2023 38", lots of flower buds, no freeze damage
Opal 2023 30", lots of flower buds, no freeze damage
Linh 2023 18", no flower buds, no freeze damage
Stewart 2023 12", no flower buds, no freeze damage
*Hamada 2023 7", flower buds, no freeze damage
*Sabrosa 2023 23", flower buds, no freeze damage
*Elmo 2023 12", no flower buds, minor freeze damage
Puebla 2023 40", 3 flower bud clusters, no freeze damage but in a protected spot
*Magdalena seedling 2022 60", a couple flower bud clusters, minor freeze damage & many dead tips
*Doc Joe 2023 7", buds frozen, dead tips
Fuerte 2023 32", few flower buds, minor freeze damage
Bacon 2023 51", 1 flower bud cluster, minor freeze damage (dead tips)
Royal Wright 2023 63", no flower buds, significant freeze damage (defoliated, tips dead)
*Grande Negra (aka Big Black) 2023 62", no flower buds, moderate freeze damage, dead tips
Zutano 2022 40", 1 cluster flower buds, heavy freeze damage
Reed 2021 mostly dead from 2 nights @ 24F
Day 2023 2", no flower buds, no freeze damage but in a protected spot over heat lamp
GEM 2023 4", flower buds, no freeze damage but in a protected spot over heat lamp
Joey 2023 6", flower buds, no freeze damage but in a protected spot
Long South Gate 2023 4", maybe flower buds starting?, no freeze damage but in a protected spot