Cultivate
All About Avocado
Published May 06, 2020. Read time: 4 mins
All About Avocado
Avocado fruit–yes, fruit–has been around for at least 10,000 years and has been on a rise to stardom since the 1980s. They have become an incredibly lucrative crop and a staple in households across the world, especially in the United States.
This incredibly versatile fruit holds its own in both sweet and savory dishes. The creamy buttery texture of the green flesh spread on a piece of toast with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes has become the center of the brunch movement. And rightfully so, they are an excellent source of vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, potassium and B vitamins and leave you feeling full and satisfied.
And the beautiful avocado is at the heart of guacamole which will make your taste buds soar, whether you eat it with chips or add it to a burrito or burger. They also enhance any salad, burger, or sandwich. Adding avocado to your smoothies is a wonderful way to make that smoothie even more healthy and hold you over even longer.
What is Avocado
Avocado, Persea americana, is a tree that grows to about 20 meters or 66 feet and is thought to have originated in south-central Mexico. In fact, the oldest sign of avocados was an avocado pit found in a Coxcatlan cave in Puebla, Mexico dating back 9,000 to 10,000 years. For literally thousands of years, people have known and enjoyed the incredibly popular avocado.
Avocados are an extremely popular fruit and have become an incredibly valuable crop. The largest producers are in California, Mexico, Florida, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, the Dominican Republic, and the mediterranean coast of Spain.
Avocado fruit actually falls into the category of berries because of their fleshy pulp and seeds. The skin of the avocado is green on the tree, eventually ripening to dark green, dark purple, or even black. Some varieties, like the Hass boast an extremely bumpy skin while others, like the Reed are a bit smoother. The inside flesh is a light green color with a smooth buttery texture that has a mildly earthy, nutty flavor.
Where Does Avocado Grow
Avocados are a subtropical plant that need a climate without frost where there is little wind.
The largest producers in the world are in California, Mexico, Florida, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, the Dominican Republic, and the mediterranean coast of Spain.
When Is Avocado In Season
Based on the variety of avocado you are looking for and where you are in the world, there are different seasons for avocados.
Hass avocados, the most common variety in the US, are typically in season from February through September. Reed avocados, a bigger variety than Hass, are usually in season from July to October.
Is Avocado Organic
Whether an avocado is certified organic or not will depend on the farm where it was grown. At FruitStand, we only partner with the best specialty farms for exceptional quality of produce. When each harvest is available, we'll tell you whether the fruit is considered organic or conventional.
The Hass avocados from Good Lands Organics are certified organic. As a bonus, they are also treated with Apeel–a plant-based coating accepted in organic farming–which keeps your avocados fresh up to 2 times longer!