Avocado Tree

Description:

The Avocado ( Persea americana), is a tree native to Mexico and Central America. Classified in the flowering plant family, Lauraceae, along with cinnamon, camphor, and bay laurel. Avocado, or alligator pear, also refers to the fruit, botanically a large berry that contains a single seed. Avocados, are commercially valuable, and are cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates throughout the world. They have a green-skinned, fleshy body, that may be pear-shaped, egg-shaped, or spherical. Commercially, they ripen after harvesting. Trees are partially self-pollinating, and often are propagated through grafting, to maintain a predictable quality and quantity of the fruit. The fruit is sometimes called an avocado pear, or alligator pear, due to its shape, and the rough green skin of some cultivars. The tree grows to ( 66 feet ), with alternately arranged leaves ( 4.7 - 9.8 inches ) long. The flowers are inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, ( 0.2 - 0.4 inches ) wide. The pear shaped fruit, is ( up to 7.9 inches ) long, and weighs between ( 3.5 and 35.3 ounces ), and has a large central seed ( 2.0 - 2.5 inches ) long. The subtropical species, needs a climate without frost, and with little wind. High winds, reduce the humidity, dehydrates the flowers, and affects pollination. The soil and climate conditions, are available in California, Arizona, Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, and other areas. The avocado tree, does not tolerate freezing temperatures, and can be grown only in subtropical or tropical climates. Like the banana, the avocado, is a climacteric fruit, which matures on the tree, but ripens off the tree..

Habitat:

Most avocados, grow in tropical climates, however, some are also capable of growing in temperate climates as well. Avocados, prefer well-drained soil, but are even capable of growing in volcanic soil. The soils that avocado trees tolerate, include: clay, sand, acidic, and alkaline soils. They prefer, full exposure to sunlight, or a minimal amount of shade. An annual rainfall of around 50 inches, is satisfactory for an avocado tree. Subtropical and tropical climates.

Notes:

Right now, I am walking around different neighborhoods, with my camera, looking for insects, flowers, trees, plants, woods, to photograph. Anything that has to do with nature. While I was walking around, I noticed a green tree. It was an avocado tree. It was about 10 feet high, and about 8 feet wide. It was covered with green leaves, but it had no fruit on this tree. It had alternately arranged leaves ( 4.7 - 9.8 inches ) long. This tree is growing very well.