Varieties and the Taste of Avocados

Avocado Groups

• This broad-leaved, evergreen, subtropical to tropical tree has three major groups of plants: West Indian avocados (Persea americana var. americana), Mexican avocados (Persea americana var. drymifolia) and Guatemalan avocados (Persea nubigena var. guatemalensis), plus hybrids between these groups. If you live in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11, you can grow good-tasting varieties not ordinarily available in stores.

West Indian Strains

• Grown primarily in Florida, the West Indies and Old World tropics, these avocados have smooth, leathery skins and flesh with low oil content and mild taste. People often characterize them as watery. They are the least cold-hardy and don't tolerate temperatures near freezing, corresponding to USDA zones 10 and 11. "Pollock" (Persea americana "Pollock") has large fruits up to 5 pounds with rich flavor. "Russell" (Persea americana "Russell") is gourd-shaped due to the long neck, with yellow flesh of excellent quality.

Mexican Strains

• The most cold-hardy avocados, Mexican varieties withstand temperatures to 16 degrees Fahrenheit and grow in USDA zones 8 through 11. "Mexicola" (Persea americana "Mexicola") has small, purplish-black fruit, high oil content and delicious flesh of the highest quality, according to Rockledge Gardens in Florida. "Northrop" (Persea americana "Northrop") has small, nearly black fruit with good quality flesh and 26 percent oil content. It doesn't keep well after it ripens, developing an unpleasant taste when overripe. "Duke" (Persea americana "Duke") has good-quality flesh, 5- to 7-ounce fruits and 14.5 percent oil content, and has the advantage of being resistant to root rot.

Guatemalan Strains

• Characterized by blackish-green, rough-skinned fruits, Guatemalan avocados have a high oil content that makes them too oily for some people's taste. They have an intermediate cold tolerance to 24 degrees Fahrenheit, or USDA zones 9 through 11. Guatemalan varieties include "Nabal" (Persea nubigena "Nabal"), considered by many to be the best-tasting avocado, according to University of California Cooperative Extension. "Reed" (Persea nubigena "Reed") has cream-colored flesh with a rich, nutty flavor. "Sharpless" (Persea nubigena "Sharpless") is a large, late-ripening avocado with superior quality and flavor.

Hybrids

• Some of the tastiest avocados are hybrids, combining desirable traits of both parents. Guatemalan and Mexican hybrids include two of the best-tasting commercial varieties. "Hass" (Persea hybrid "Hass") is the industry standard for excellent avocado flavor, with a buttery, creamy texture, nutty taste and high oil content. "Fuerte" (Persea hybrid "Fuerte") also has excellent, buttery flavor. Guatemalan and West Indian hybrids combine mild taste with improved cold-hardiness. "Choquette" (Persea hybrid "Choquette") has watery juice, silken flesh and mild flavor. "Hall" (Persea hybrid "Hall") is similar to "Choquette" but has nuttier, drier and thicker flesh.