Description
The avocado comes from Central America and is now widely grown for its valuable fruit in tropical and subtropical climates, including Israel, Spain and South Africa.
The avocado is an evergreen tree of the laurel family that can reach 20 m in height. Its leaves are lance-shaped, leathery to the touch and about 25 cm long. The flowers are yellowish-green. The fruit is a single-seeded, pear-shaped berry with a thick, dark green or purple skin. Inside is an inedible, round seed and creamy greenish flesh. Many parts of the avocado are used in herbal medicine. The leaves and bark are effective remedies for digestive problems and coughs. Because avocado is so nutritious, it has a wide range of medicinal uses. In Guatemala the flesh is used to stimulate hair growth, the skin of the fruit to get rid of worms, and the seeds to treat diarrhoea. In West Africa the flesh is also used as baby food.
Requirements
It needs strong sunlight. Most varieties tolerate salty soil and do well in ordinary potting compost for evergreens. It needs regular, but not heavy, watering.
Propagation
Push 3 toothpicks horizontally into the stone so that it can be suspended on them over a container of water (the toothpicks resting on the rim), with about 1/3 of the seed (the rounded end) submerged. Stand it in a sunny place; it should germinate after about 2–6 weeks. When the roots reach the bottom of the container, plant it in a pot.
The seeds can also be planted directly in soil. Use a large pot about 15–25 cm in diameter. The material does not matter, as long as there is a drainage hole at the bottom. Push the seed halfway into the soil with the pointed end up. Water generously and place in a sunny spot.
Care
The avocado should stand in a well-lit place, even in full sun, with high air humidity. In winter the temperature should be 12°C; in a warmer room it drops its leaves.
In summer the plant needs plenty of water; in winter only enough to stop the leaves falling. Mist it several times a day with lukewarm water. From March to the end of August feed every two weeks.
Plant the stone in ordinary loamy soil, and move young plants to richer flower compost. In spring the tips of long shoots can be trimmed. After this the plant becomes bushier and even branches.
When plants get sick
Leaves dropping – the cause may be keeping the plant too long in a dark room in winter, or in excessive warmth.
Brown leaf tips can be a sign of too little water, but also of a lack of nutrients. Make sure the plant never dries out and is properly fed in summer.
Before you buy
You need to grow it yourself from a stone, as it is rare to be able to buy a ready plant.
Average lifespan: – Can live for a very long time, provided it is never allowed to dry out.
Difficulty of care: – Although the plant has fairly specific temperature and compost requirements, it is easy to grow.