Overview

Introduce a remarkable culinary delight to your garden with the Mexicola Grande avocado tree. This exceptional grafted avocado plant is celebrated for its impressive cold hardiness, making it a viable option for a wider range of climates compared to many other avocado varieties. Originating from Mexico, the Mexicola Grande is a vigorous grower that yields delicious, small-sized avocados with a rich, buttery texture and uniquely edible skin. Its resilience and delightful fruit make it a sought-after addition for both seasoned gardeners and those new to growing fruit trees. Cultivating a Mexicola Grande avocado tree means enjoying fresh, homegrown avocados perfect for guacamole and other culinary creations.

This live plant arrives in a 6-inch pot, ready to be nurtured into a thriving fruit-bearing tree. The Mexicola Grande variety is distinct not only for its frost tolerance but also for its glossy black, paper-thin skin that can be consumed along with the creamy, pale yellowish-green flesh. Beyond its fruit, the tree itself offers ornamental value with its vigorous, upright, and spreading growth habit, and leaves that emit a pleasant anise aroma, which can also be used in traditional Mexican recipes.

Key Benefits

The Mexicola Grande avocado tree offers a multitude of benefits for the home gardener, combining resilience with delicious fruit production. Here are some of the standout advantages:

• Exceptional Cold Hardiness: This variety is remarkably frost-resistant, capable of withstanding temperatures as low as 17°F. This makes it one of the most reliable choices for a cold hardy avocado, expanding the possibilities for growing avocados in cooler climates.
• Delicious, Buttery Fruit: Enjoy avocados with a pale yellowish-green flesh, mild fiber, and a high oil content (18% to 20%). This contributes to a supremely buttery texture, making them ideal for creamy guacamole and other dishes.
• Edible Skin and Leaves: The Mexicola Grande is unique among avocado cultivars for its edible, paper-thin skin. Additionally, its aromatic leaves can be used to impart a distinct flavor in Mexican cuisine, offering dual culinary use.
• Vigorous Growth Habit: The trees exhibit a strong, upright, and spreading growth pattern, quickly establishing themselves and providing a healthy, productive plant that adds lush greenery to your landscape.
• Good to Heavy Fruit Production: Despite producing small-sized avocados (0.25 to 0.75 lb), the tree is known for its consistent and often heavy fruit yields, ensuring a bountiful harvest for fresh consumption.
• Grafted for Early Fruiting: As a grafted avocado plant, it is engineered to mature and bear fruit much faster than trees grown from seed, allowing you to enjoy your homegrown avocados sooner.
• Versatile Culinary Use: The rich flavor and texture are perfect for guacamole, salads, sandwiches, and the leaves can be used as a unique herb, making this an incredibly versatile addition to any kitchen garden.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

To ensure your Mexicola Grande avocado tree thrives and produces abundant fruit, proper care is essential. This cold hardy avocado prefers specific conditions to reach its full potential. When considering avocado tree care, focus on providing adequate sunlight, well-draining soil, and appropriate watering.

Sunlight: The Mexicola Grande requires at least 6-8 hours of full sun daily for optimal growth and fruit production. While it can tolerate some partial shade, especially in hotter climates, full sun is always preferred. Position your grafted avocado plant in a location where it receives bright, direct sunlight throughout the day. Watering: Avocado trees, including the Mexicola Grande, do not tolerate ‘wet feet.’ Excellent drainage is crucial. Water newly planted seedlings every other day for the first week, then reduce frequency to twice a week for the next 2-3 months. After establishment, water deeply when the top few inches of soil feel dry. Always check soil moisture before watering to prevent overwatering, which can lead to root rot. A drip or irrigation system providing steady, small amounts of water evenly to the soil is ideal. Soil: Plant your Mexicola Grande avocado tree in well-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 6.0-7.0). Amending heavy clay soils with organic matter like compost or perlite can improve drainage. For container growing, use a high-quality potting mix specifically designed for citrus or avocado trees.

Temperature & USDA Zones: This variety is exceptionally cold tolerant, capable of surviving temperatures as low as 17°F. It is best suited for USDA Hardiness Zones 8B and above. In colder regions, consider growing it in a large container that can be moved indoors during winter. Fertilization: Fertilize your avocado tree care regimen should include a balanced fertilizer formulated for citrus or avocado trees, typically applied 3-4 times a year during the growing season (spring through fall). Follow package instructions for application rates. Pruning: Prune to maintain shape, remove dead or diseased branches, and encourage fruit production. Light pruning is best done in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Pest & Disease: Regularly inspect your tree for common pests like mites or aphids and treat promptly with organic or appropriate horticultural sprays. Good air circulation and proper watering practices help prevent fungal diseases.

Size & Details

The Mexicola Grande avocado tree offered is a healthy, vigorous live plant, expertly grafted to ensure robust growth and early fruit production. It arrives in a 6-inch nursery pot, providing a well-established root system ready for transplanting into your garden or a larger container. While the exact height at shipping may vary, these young trees are typically between 12-24 inches tall, poised for rapid growth once settled in their new environment.

Mature Mexicola Grande trees exhibit a vigorous, upright, and spreading growth habit, eventually reaching heights of 15-25 feet with a similar spread if planted in the ground. The fruit itself is small to medium-sized, typically weighing between 0.25 and 0.75 lbs, and is known to be 25% larger than its parent, the Mexicola avocado. Fruit production ranges from good to heavy, providing a consistent supply of delicious avocados. Expect fruit development within 2-4 years from planting this grafted avocado plant, much sooner than seed-grown trees. This particular variety is cherished for its edible skin avocado, adding to its unique appeal and culinary versatility.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Mexicola Grande avocado tree get? A: When mature and planted in the ground, a Mexicola Grande avocado tree can reach heights of 15-25 feet with a similar spread. Its size can be managed with regular pruning if grown in a container.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor avocado plant? A: The Mexicola Grande is primarily an outdoor tree, especially suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8B and above due to its cold hardy avocado nature. However, it can be grown in large containers and moved indoors during winter in colder climates.
• Q: How much sunlight does the Mexicola Grande avocado tree need? A: This tree thrives in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for optimal growth and fruit production.
• Q: What condition will the grafted avocado plant arrive in? A: Your grafted avocado plant will arrive in a 6-inch nursery pot, carefully packaged to ensure it reaches you healthy and ready for planting. We take great care in shipping live plants.
• Q: Is this edible skin avocado variety good for making guacamole? A: Yes, the Mexicola Grande is excellent for guacamole! Its high oil content (18-20%) gives the flesh a wonderfully buttery texture, perfect for a creamy and flavorful guacamole.
• Q: When is the best time to plant a Mexicola Grande avocado tree? A: The best time to plant is typically in the spring or early summer, after the last threat of frost has passed, to allow the tree to establish before cooler weather.
• Q: Will this cold hardy avocado survive winter in my zone? A: The Mexicola Grande is highly cold tolerant, able to withstand temperatures as low as 17°F. It is well-suited for USDA Hardiness Zones 8B and above. If your zone is colder, consider winter protection or container growing.
• Q: What kind of soil does this avocado tree prefer? A: The Mexicola Grande avocado tree prefers well-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Avoid heavy, water-retentive soils to prevent root issues.
• Q: How often should I water my Mexicola Grande avocado tree? A: Water deeply when the top few inches of soil are dry to the touch. Young trees require more frequent watering, but established trees need less. Always ensure good drainage.
• Q: How long until this grafted avocado plant produces fruit? A: As a grafted avocado plant, you can typically expect your Mexicola Grande tree to start producing fruit within 2-4 years after planting, much faster than trees grown from seed.