Thank you Carlos for breaking the ice, I've been wanting to include the 'Jan Boyce' avocado cultivar that I got from you in the 'SFL-WAV' (South Florida-Winter Avocado Void) list.
This is the updated avocado cultivar list that could fill the 'SFL-WAV,' (in decending order of probability for success; with 1 being highest; this is a best estimate, based on gathered information so far; input from Forum members as to the order of the list is very much welcomed and encouraged):
1 Sharwil
2
Jan Boyce3 Fuerte
4 Yamagata
From Carlos' web page:
http://www.myavocadotrees.com(Comment No. 1) The University of California says it has excellent flavor in April.
(Comment No. 2) “I hope this variety could fill our void for avocado fruit in Februry to March with quality fruit. At least that is the idea.”
Jan Boyce avocado comments (a bit long but good information, in my opinion)
Jan Boyce is the “connoisseur’s avocado” claims Julie Frink, and she should know. Ms. Frink is the curator of the avocado variety collection at the South Coast Research Center in Irvine, the home of one of the largest avocado collections in the country, and she sometimes admits that the J.B. is her favorite avocado. The Jan Boyce is richly flavored and endowed with an extremely small seed. The only possible complaint is that its thin skin is somewhat difficult to peel. Thank God for spoons!
Our experience with the Jan Boyce up here in chilly Santa Cruz County has been exciting. It is a vigorous tree, blooms late (after the frosts are over), and it sets fruit readily. Expect the fruit to be ripe by the end of winter in Southern California, July on the Central Coast.
Posted by Karly30 9b- Los Angeles area (My Page) on
Wed, Feb 1, 12 at 16:32
If you had room for just one Avocado, what would you choose? I would like something I can keep on the smaller side. I have a small hillside i could plant it in, so it would have decent drainage. I was thinking of Gwen, but now I'm reading talk of many other hard to find varieties and am unsure.
Wed, Feb 1, 12 at 17:52
Jan Boyce. Hand's down.
Patty S.
RE: Just one Avocado
• Posted by Karly30 none (My Page) on
Wed, Feb 1, 12 at 18:20
Tell me more Patty!
RE: Just one Avocado
• Posted by hoosierquilt z10a/23 Vista Calif (My Page) on
Wed, Feb 1, 12 at 21:20
Jan Boyce has been deemed the "best of the best" by Julie Frink, who is the curator of the Avocado Variety Collection at the South Coast Research Center in Irvine, the home of one of the largest avocado collections in the country. Julie has dubbed this avocado the "connoisseur's avocado" and for good reason. It is just superlative, smooth, rich, nutty, firm, delicious. Plus, the tree is nice and vigorous. My teeny, tiny Jan Boyce I planted last year has at least tripled in size, and it is VERY happy up on my slope. I'll snap a pic of it tomorrow. It was just a stick when I planted it, and I thought, "oh brother, it will never make it through the winter." I think I planted it in Nov. of 2010, actually, not the best time to plant an avocado. It didn't give a hoot, and it is just growing great guns. Here are some great articles for you to read about the Jan Boyce, plus, I'll give you a link to a source that was just shared by NorCalNiko on our forum in another recent thread.
http://articles.latimes.com/2005/nov/24/home/hm-avocado24 http://ucavo.ucr.edu/AvocadoVarieties/VarietyList/JanBoyce.html The only negative, if you can call it one, is they do not peel easily. but a spoon will work just fine!
Patty S.
RE: Just one Avocado
• Posted by Karly30 none (My Page) on
Wed, Feb 1, 12 at 23:10
My only concern is that Jan Boyce is supposed to be a monster. Can I keep it to a reasonable size without losing all the fruit? What if I had room for jan Boyce and a second smaller one? What would you get to extend the season out?
RE: Just one Avocado
• Posted by NorCalNiko USDA 9 Sunset 16/17 (My Page) on
Thu, Feb 2, 12 at 17:40
I had a similar issue. I'm planting a Jan Boyce with a Sharwil, which is a much smaller variety. It's supposed to be excellent as well, though I've never tasted one... The Sharwil isn't listed on the Epicenter site, but they have them. Just request one.
Story by Jillian Laurel Steinberger
For the backyard grower, Epicenter’s Ellen Baker suggests the variety called Jan Boyce. It’s from a seedling that was grown at UC Riverside, where she says some consider it to be the best avocado they ever tasted. “It has a rich flavor, and is perfect for a home grower who wants a beautiful, unusual, delicious avocado with an immediate ripening time. You won’t buy it at the store because it doesn’t ship well. When you cut it open it makes you laugh, because the seed is so small.