Bigfoot Spotted in Southern Tamarac

[Cookie Monster]

You may remember a few month back there was some discussion on the forum about the legend of the poly-embryonic avocado. Well, it's been spotted and photographed in my backyard! I was clearing out some old container plants and found this. The seed broke off when I yanked it, but it was indeed one seed (not two). Despite some literature claiming that this is a 1 in 1,000 occurrence, there's actually tree in our neighborhood which seems to produce all poly-embryonic seeds.

[Tropicalgrower89]

Cool.  I wonder if all or one of the poly-embryonic sprouts are a genetic copy of the mother tree like the poly-embryonic mango.

[Cookie Monster]

I was wondering the same thing. Seems like they could use that for grafting if they can find a phytopthera resistant one.

Cool.  I wonder if all or one of the poly-embryonic sprouts are a genetic copy of the mother tree like the poly-embryonic mango.

[fruitlovers]

You may remember a few month back there was some discussion on the forum about the legend of the poly-embryonic avocado. Well, it's been spotted and photographed in my backyard! I was clearing out some old container plants and found this. The seed broke off when I yanked it, but it was indeed one seed (not two). Despite some literature claiming that this is a 1 in 1,000 occurrence, there's actually tree in our neighborhood which seems to produce all poly-embryonic seeds.

I think the number was more like 1 in 100. But finding a tree that produces all polyembryonic seeds that is really bizarre! Is it a seedling tree or a grafted tree? What are it's avo fruits like?

[Cookie Monster]

It's a seedling if I remember correctly. I'll have to ask my wife as she's the one that always collects the fruit.

[Chandramohan]

I got a lot of polyemryonic seedlings when I sprouted about 50 avocado seeds for rootstock. Which of the shoots is true to the parent?

[jcaldeira]

I frequently have multiple-stemmed avocado seedlings.  Maybe 20% of the time.  My seedlings are mostly West Indian cultivars.

Not sure if they're polyembryonic, but the multiple taproots suggest they are.

[fyliu]

Inhibiting hormone failure? Looks like it has many backup buds and several were equally vigorous and sprouted.
For at least some plants, not sure about avocado, there are backup buds that will sprout if the main one dies.