There are three primary “races” of avocado – Mexican, Guatemalan, and West Indian.
The trees on this list are of the West Indian race. They are more cold-sensitive and do best in Florida’s hot and humid climate.
Growing avocados in north Florida is tricky because the West Indian types are mostly not cold hardy enough for the region’s winters. Bacon and Choquette varieties are among the hardiest.
In my experience and many in Florida – frost and freezes kill endless avocado trees yearly. Choosing a suitable variety for your zone makes a huge difference.
To avoid disappointment, you should find your Florida USDA hardiness zone before selecting avocado trees.
Let’s face it; taste also matters with avocados. Some are far tastier than others.
This article will help you to decide which avocado trees are best for your region and personal taste preferences.
7 Avocado Trees To Suit The Different Regions of Florida
1. Catalina (Persea americana ‘Catalina’) – South Florida
Catalina avocado arrived in Florida from Cuba. It is one of the most popular avocados in South Florida, especially in the Cuban American community.
Catalina’s is a mid-sized fruit with a rich and creamy flavor. The fruit quality is relatively high. Also, it produces a moderate amount of fruit on the trees. In addition, the crop is consistent, so you can rely on the tree to produce year after year.
USDA Growing Zones: 9 – 11
Average Size at Maturity: 30 feet tall with a spread of 20 feet
Harvest Season: August – September
2. ‘Bacon’ (Persea americana ‘Bacon’) – North Florida
Bacon avocados have a creamy and buttery flavor. They are good in salads or on toast. The tasty fruit has medium-thin skin.
This variety of avocados is popular in zone 8 because few other avocado trees can tolerate that much cold. Bacon avocados are self-fertile, but you can plant another avocado variety to increase the fruits you get each year.
Also, Bacon avocado trees boast a beautiful narrow shape and attractive deep green foliage. So, it also makes an excellent ornamental tree.
USDA Growing Zones: 8 – 11
Average Size at Maturity: 20 feet tall with a spread of 15 feet
Harvest Season: November – December
Available at: Nature Hills
3. Hall (Persea americana ‘Hall’) – Central Florida
Hall avocado has excellent cold tolerance. You can grow it as low as zone 9A in Florida without fear of freezes killing the tree. You can also grow them in containers in colder zones.
Hall avocados have a similar taste to the popular Choquette variety. But the flesh is drier, the flavor is nuttier, and fruits have a high flesh-to-seed ratio. Fruits weigh about 1 to 2 pounds when ripe and are easy to peel.
Hall is a good pick because the tree is easy to grow and resistant to most pests.
USDA Growing Zones: 9 – 11
Average Size at Maturity: 30 feet tall with a spread of 20 feet
Harvest Season: October – November
Available at: Nature Hills
4. Monroe (Persea americana ‘Monroe’) – South Florida
Monroe avocados are a bit hefty – weighing about 2 pounds at maturity. The fruit’s skin is glossy green and thick. The flesh has a nutty, mild taste and is smooth.
While Monroe avocados are popular in south Florida, they are hardy enough to grow in central Florida. They can take temperatures down to 25ºF.
USDA Growing Zones: 9 – 11
Average Size at Maturity: 20 – 25 feet tall with a spread of 10 – 15 feet
Harvest Season: November – January
Available at: Nature Hills
5. ‘Little Cado’ (Persea americana ‘Little Cado’) – Central Florida
Little Cado avocado is a small tree and is great for tight spaces. The tiny trees have a dense and sweeping canopy, making them an attractive addition to the landscape. Also, they are fast-growing.
The fruits have a slightly nutty taste with light green flesh. The fruits weigh 8 -14 ounces with medium-thin skin.
USDA Growing Zones: 9 – 11
Average Size at Maturity: 8 – 12 feet tall with a similar spread
Harvest Season: May – September
Available at: Nature Hills
6. ‘Choquette’ (Persea americana ‘Choquette’) – Central Florida
Choquette avocados are popular in Florida. The trees produce relatively large fruits – weighing up to three pounds! These avocados have a nutty, rich, and creamy flavor. The skin is glossy, soft, smooth, and peels easily.
Choquette avocado trees are great for central Florida and some parts of North Florida. You can grow them as low as USDA zone 9a, which includes Jacksonville.
USDA Growing Zones: 9 – 11
Average Size at Maturity: 30 feet tall with a spread of 15 feet
Harvest Season: October – December
7. ‘Simmonds’ (Persea americana ‘Simmonds’) – South Florida
Simmonds is an early-season avocado, meaning that fruits mature much earlier than others. Most avocados ripen in fall to early winter. With Simmonds avocados, you can sometimes get mature fruits in early June.
The fruit is high quality, with the classic and ideal rich avocado taste. Also, Simmonds avocado trees produce a lot of fruit each year.
Simmonds is best for south Florida. They are sensitive to cold weather.
USDA Growing Zones: 10 – 12
Average Size at Maturity: 30 feet tall with a spread of 20 feet
Harvest Season: June – August
How to Successfully Grow Avocado Trees in Florida
Taking care of avocado trees takes work!
First, they need well-drained soil because wet feet will kill them. It would be best if you planted trees on a mound so they get good drainage. But the native soil type in Florida is generally suitable for growing avocados.
It helps fertilize avocado trees lightly once or twice in the first year. Then after, 3 to 4 times a year. A helpful hack is to use special citrus tree fertilizer. The formula is compatible with avocado trees.
Avocado trees often get iron deficiency when the pH is high (alkaline). To be safe, The University of Florida IFAS Extension recommends giving the trees 3 to 5 annual nutritional sprays of copper, zinc, manganese, and boron.
Unfortunately, avocado trees are also prone to many pests and diseases. The University of Florida IFAS Extension also provides much advice on handling this.
But, some avocado trees are relatively resilient and less prone to pests and diseases. I recommend getting a Hall avocado tree if you don’t want the stress.
