Grow Your Own nutritious Fruit And Beat High Grocery Store Costs
by Kelly R. Smith 
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This article was updated on 01/28/22.
There’s only one drawback to fresh avocados that I can think of — the price. That’s why planting your own avocado tree is such a good idea. The image above is the Don Juan variety that I planted yesterday. I’m generally not a big fan of staking new trees but this time, as I was finishing my tree planting adventure, the wind was beginning to whip and a rainstorm was blowing in. This afternoon I can follow up with a top-dressing of compost and some hardwood mulch. Which species is right for you? Here is a list of cold-hardy Mexican avocado trees in alphabetical order.
When planting avocado trees, keep in mind that they like well-drained soil. They do not tolerate overly-wet soil well. As with your other trees and plants they prefer the pH of rain to tap water. It is always a good time to put in a rainwater harvesting system.
List of Avocado Tree Species
- Brazos Belle. This one tolerates cold in the mid to low teens. The fruit is large and purple-black.
- Brogdon. A mature tree can reach as high as 30 feet tall. Expect the crop to ripen ripen late from mid-July to mid-September.
- Day. If you are into container gardening, this is a good choice. It will grow to 6 to 8 feet and will produce when it reaches 3 to4 feet high.
- Don Juan. The Don can handle temperatures down to the mid to high teens. In height it can reach 20 to 25 feet when fully grown.
- Fantastic. It’s considered to have one of the creamiest textures of the flesh. It is very thin-skinned and is very freeze-resistant.
- Joey. This variety boasts a dark, purple-black skin and an egg-shaped fruit.It is one of the most prolific producers of any of these species. It is right behind the Fantastic in cold hardiness.
- Lila. Lila bears medium-sized pear-shaped fruits. It is cold-hardy variety down to 15 degrees and when mature maxes out at 10-15 feet high.
- Mexicola. This one is cold-hardy down to the low 20s. It’s known for its creamy, smooth taste which makes it a natural in dishes such as Tuscan kale salad.
- Mexicola Grande. It is known for nutty flavor and has the best reputation for consistent fruit size if that is important to you as a home-owner. That would be low on my priority list but it is what it is.
- Opal. No, not a precious stone or European car brand, but a medium-sized, pear-shaped avocado that many consider to have the “richest” flavor of them all. It is also the greenest of all the soft-skinned varieties so be aware of that when judging harvesting time.
- Poncho. It is also called the ‘Pancho’ and bears a medium-large green fruit. It can tolerate cold down to the low 20s and is the latest of the producers from mid-August through October. In that respect, it pairs nicely with and early producer if you want fruit for a long period. And who doesn’t?
- Pryor. The Pryor is cold-hardy down into the high teens and is also listed as one of the green-skinned varieties.
- Wilma. It was probably not named after Wilma Flintstone but is one of the largest avocados on this list. It is known for its great flavor. It is a black-skinned variety and has been around longer than most on this list.
Avocado Health Benefits
Although avocados are high in fat, don’t let that put you off. They contain the “good fat.” As far as health benefits go, the avocado is right up there with tart cherries. Check out these health benefits:
- Healthy weight loss. They are high in fiber so they make you feel full.
- Eye health. The nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin fight macular degeneration.
- Helps to prevent type II diabetes. It does this by stabilizing blood sugar levels.
- Increases nutrient absorption.
- Bone strengthening. It does this by providing copper, folate, and vitamin K.
Well, there you have it. Choose your favorite one or two from this list of cold-hardy Mexican avocado trees; enjoy money savings, shade, and good health.
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About the Author:
Kelly R. Smith is an Air Force veteran and was a commercial carpenter for 20 years before returning to night school at the University of Houston where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. After working at NASA for a few years, he went on to develop software for the transportation, financial, and energy-trading industries. He has been writing, in one capacity or another, since he could hold a pencil. As a freelance writer now, he specializes in producing articles and blog content for a variety of clients. His personal blog is at the popular Considered Opinions Blog where he muses on many different topics.
How can you protect these trees when your area gets even colder?
They are easy to protect when small but once they get big you can’t get a tarp large enough. In a cold area, look for dwarf avocado trees. They may get to 10 feet but you can get one like that indoors if your ceilings are high enough. My living room ceiling is vaulted, for example.
What is the best compost to use?