Avocado (Persea americana) Care, Cultivars, Pollination, and More:
Created by Joe Urias and Julio Madrigal
We love avocados, and if you have the space, we think they are a fantastic addition to most edible landscapes. A lot of folks think they won't do well in the Bay Area, and associate them more with Southern California, Central America, and South America. But that's just not true!
Joe Urias, one of the plant wizards here at PJ, and Julio Madrigal, Farm Manager at the Mother Farm, helped prepared this guide. It may get a little plant-nerdy, but we kind of can't help it.
Pollination Basics and Dichogamy
Avocado plants produce perfect flowers, meaning each flower contains both female and male parts. Their flowering behavior is known as protogynous dichogamy, where the female stage (stigma receptive) occurs first, followed later by the male stage (pollen release). This separation by time reduces self-pollination within a single flower and promotes cross-pollination.
In Type A cultivars, the female stage occurs in the morning, followed by the male stage in the afternoon of the following day. In Type B cultivars, the female stage occurs in the afternoon, followed by the male stage the following morning. These complementary patterns allow Type A and Type B cultivars to cross-pollinate more effectively when their flowering periods overlap.
In the Bay Area, Type A cultivars have generally been observed to perform better than Type B. This is likely influenced by local temperature patterns. Cooler conditions can delay or shift flowering timing, and in some cases may cause the stigma receptive stage in Type B cultivars to occur later into the evening, when pollinator activity may be reduced, potentially lowering effective pollination. However, a study conducted in New Zealand documented nocturnal pollination of avocado flowers, highlighting that pollination is not exclusively restricted to daytime pollinators.
Although planting both Type A and Type B cultivars is still recommended to maximize cross-pollination and yield consistency, it is often less critical in the Bay Area, where local environmental conditions can already promote some natural overlap in flowering stages.
Avocado Cultivars Types List
(Note - this list contains the cultivars from our 2026 Brokaw Nursery order, but does not contain PJ’s entire avocado cultivar list. If you can't find the varieties you are looking for online, call the El Sobrante Nursery to see if they have them in-store.)
A-Type Cultivars
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Don Gillogly
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Esther
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GEM
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Green Gold
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Gwen
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Hass
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Lamb Hass
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Leavens Hass
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Mexicola Grande
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Wurtz
B-Type Cultivars
Avocado Landraces
What is a landrace? That's the term for any domesticated living thing - plant or animal - that has evolved and adapted over time to be especially well-suited to a specific place and environment. There are 3 main landraces for Avocados:
Mexican
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Most cold-hardy
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Typically perform better in warmer inland climates compared to other types
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Leaves release an anise-like smell when crushed
Guatemalan
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Moderately cold-sensitive (less hardy than Mexican types)
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Perform well in mild coastal climates (e.g., Bay Area)
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Often have thicker or bumpy skin
West Indian
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Least cold-hardy
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Generally large fruit with smooth green skin
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Lower oil content compared to other types
All three races can hybridize, so many cultivars show mixed ancestry.
Tom Addison’s top 3 recommendations for East Bay Area:
Why?
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Generally productive with less alternate bearing than many other cultivars
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Precocious (begin fruiting relatively early)
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High fruit quality
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Provide an extended harvest window across the season
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Carmen: Spring (~18 months after fall bloom)
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Lamb Hass: Late summer to fall (Aug–Oct)
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Reed: Nov–Feb
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**Harvest timing in the Bay Area is typically later than in Southern California. For example, Reed may begin harvesting in summer in Southern California but starts in fall in the Bay Area.**
Cultivation
Choose a planting location protected from strong wind and intense sun, especially when the plants are young. In inland locations, choose a location that gets morning sun and afternoon shade if possible. Planting in soil with good drainage is important, since water logged soils can cause root rot issues like Phytophthora. Apply thick layers of mulch to keep the feeder root zone moist. Soil should be neutral to slightly acidic and there should be minimal to none root disturbance when planting or transplanting into a bigger pot. It is recommended to protect your avocado plant from freezing temperature and extreme heat until it has reached a minimum of 8 ft in height. Even though most people are excited to see flowers or small fruits forming on the avocado tree it is best to remove all flowers and fruit for at least the first year as fruit formation can lead to tree stress and not much energy into the roots to establish. Lastly, and more importantly it is essential to protect all green stems and bark from sun damage until the tree is able to leaf out and protect itself. Common ways to protect the bark and green branches is by using diluted latex paint ( 30% paint 70% water) or using other organic forms such as what is offered from IV organics.
When planting in soils that don’t have well drainage such as clay soils it is recommended to plant avocados in mounds above soil level so that there can be good drainage when the avocado is acclimating and establishing its new home.
Tree Size:
Most avocado varieties can reach a height of 15-20 feet, so you want to give them plenty of space. Gwen, GEM, and Wurtz are typically smaller or more compact-growing trees compared to many standard cultivars.
Fertilization
You can use different types of manure high in nitrogen to encourage avocados to keep their leaves green and have a steady growing season. Some of the best manures are composted horse, goat, and cow but if you are unable to access these kinds of manures chicken manure is also more commonly found and works just as well. You can also use other fertilizers to feed your tree and that is not manure. Making sure you purchase slow release fertilizers are important as they take time to break down and give small doses of fertility while your avocado need them in the growing season. In instances where you might think your tree is being attacked by phytophthora a top layer of Gypsum can assist in combating phytophthora in addition to also absorbing an excess of salt you might have surrounding you avocado roots.
Sources
California Avocado Commission
Avocado Varieties for Commercial Planting in California.
Dymond, K. et al. (2021)
The role of insect pollinators in avocado production: A global review. Journal of Applied Entomology.
Howard, C. C., Howlett, B. G., Evans, L. J., & Pattemore, D. E. (2024)
Low Overnight Temperatures Delay 'Hass' Avocado (Persea americana) Female Flower Opening, Leading to Nocturnal Flowering. Journal of Pollination Ecology.
Sedgley, M. (1977)
The Effect of Temperature on Floral Behaviour, Pollen Tube Growth and Fruit Set in the Avocado. Journal of Horticultural Science.
Tom Addison (El Cerrito, CA)
Personal communication / observational knowledge.
University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources (UC ANR)
Avocado Flowering Basics.
Golden Gate Palms and Exotics
Avocado form letter on the basics to bottomless guacamole bowls.https://www.goldengatepalms.com/avocado-form-letter
Epicenter Avocado
FAQ sheet on water needs, how to plant, fertility and best practices for sun protection. https://www.epicenteravocados.com/faq/
