15 Types of Avocados (with Pictures)

Avocados are extremely popular fruits, and they’re known for their nutritive properties. While many of us consume them, we’re mostly unaware of which variety we’re buying. There are over 500 avocado varieties, each unique in its own way.

Although we can’t describe every avocado species available, we wanted to provide you with more details about 15 different types of avocados, both from A and B category types. That should help you in determining which avocado variety to consume or grow.

The 15 Types of Avocados

A-Type Cultivars

1. Choquette

The Choquette is an avocado that bears large fruits with a nutty, creamy taste. This avocado succeeds the best in California and Florida. For this avocado variety to thrive, you should plant it in well-draining, acidic soil at a location with full sun or partial shade. The tree of this avocado can reach over 30 feet, although you can prune it regularly to keep it smaller. The Choquette is self-fertilizing and represents an excellent combination of quantity and quality.

2. Lula

The Lula is an avocado variety from Florida, and it prefers full sun to partial shade and loamy, well-drained soil. The fruits have a pear-like shape and smooth, green skin. Lula is more cold-hardy than other avocados, and it can endure temperatures lower than 28°F. That’s why this is an excellent choice to grow in colder climates. Typically, these avocados reach 25 feet in height and are self-pollinating trees. However, they would produce larger, tastier fruits if pollinated by another avocado.

3. Hass

The Hass is undoubtedly the most popular avocado type in the USA. It has a unique, creamy flesh with a pinch of a nutty flavor. You can grow these avocados outdoors or in containers, although the trees planted outside tend to be higher. Their typical height when mature varies between 7 and 30 feet. These avocado trees need well-drained, loamy, or sandy soil to prosper, and you should plant them in full sun or partial shade. If you decide to grow them from seeds, they’ll need around 5 years to bear fruits, while that number reduces to between 2 and 3 years if you plant a small tree.

4. Gwen

The Gwen is a dwarf avocado type that grows up to 15 feet high, which is significantly smaller than most other avocados. The popularity of this species started to grow in the last couple of years, and people love the Gwen because of its large fruits with a nutty, buttery taste. This avocado is fairly productive, but it’s intolerant to wind, drought, heat, and cold, making it extremely tricky to grow and maintain.

5. Reed

The Reed variety is very similar to Hass avocados, although it produces larger, more rounded fruits. The fruits have a rich flavor, although they’re hard to peel. This avocado is very productive and doesn’t require too much maintenance, making it the perfect option for new gardeners. The tree grows upwards and can be quite large, frequently reaching over 37 feet. For this avocado variety to prosper, you should place it in a location with full sun, preferably in loose, rich, and well-draining soil.

6. Mexicola Grande

The Mexicola Grande is one of the most frost-resistant, cold-hardy avocado types you can plant. The fruits of this avocado are dark-skinned and have a creamy, rich, nutty flavor. While most avocado varieties cannot withstand low temperatures, Mexicola Grade can grow in temperatures below 17°F. When it comes to their size, these avocado trees can range from 18 to 36 feet, and they’re higher when planted outdoors. To prosper, plant this avocado in full sun or partial shade, in loamy or sandy, well-draining soil.

7. Pinkerton

The Pinkerton is among the smaller avocado varieties, which makes it perfect for planting in smaller spaces. It needs full sun to thrive, and it can reach between 20 and 30 feet. They bear pear-shaped fruits, which are commonly so large that they can bend and break branches. They have a mild nutty flavor and are easy to peel. You can’t grow this variety indoors, so you’ll need a designated outdoor area to plant them. Depending on your climate, these avocados can be self-fertilizing—they need pollinators in warm climates and are self-pollinating in cold climates.

8. Pryor

The Pryor avocado, also known as the Fantastic, is another hardy avocado that can withstand temperatures as low as 15°F. These trees can grow up to 30 feet, although you can prune them to keep them smaller. They are low-maintenance and bear small fruits that contain a lot of oil. For this avocado variety to prosper, you should place it in a location that receives full sun, although it can also grow in partial shade. The soil should be well-drained and moist.

9. Holiday

The Holiday is a fairly new dwarf avocado species that reaches around 15 feet when mature. It’s extremely sensitive to frost, although its size makes it an excellent option for growing indoors. If you practice regular pruning, you can keep these avocado trees even smaller. When it comes to Holiday fruits, they are large, and their taste resembles Hass avocados. This is a self-pollinating variety that needs around 2 years after planting to bear fruits. If you plant these avocados outside, place them in full sun. If you plant them indoors, place them near a south-facing window.

B-Type Cultivars

10. Fuerte

The Fuerte avocado produces high-quality fruits that are typically pear-shaped and have a hazelnut-like flavor. As these avocado trees grow between 18 and 36 feet, they need a lot of space which is why they’re not suitable for smaller gardens and yards. They cannot grow in cold climates, and they need a temperature between 60°F and 80°F to prosper. To promote growth plant the Fuerte in full sun, in sandy, well-draining soil.

11. Sharwil

The Sharwil is a small avocado variety that constantly produces and bears fruits. Its fruits are pear-shaped and they have rough skin. The trees typically reach anywhere from 18 to 35 feet, and they’re frost sensitive so they can only succeed in warmer climates, in USDA hardiness zones from 9 to 11. The trees need full sun to prosper, and they require well-drained, organic soil which means you’ll need to fertilize them frequently.

12. Monroe

The Monroe is a medium-sized avocado variety whose trees can reach a height between 20 and 25 feet. You can also grow them in containers, which will typically downsize them to around 8 feet. They produce large fruits which can weigh over 2 pounds, and they have low water content.  You should plant this avocado in full sun, preferably in a well-drained sandy or loamy soil.

13. Zutano

The Zutano is among the rarest species of avocados that many use as a pollinator for other avocado trees. These trees can grow quite large, sometimes reaching over 50 feet. This is another cold-hardy variety that can grow in low temperatures. The Zutano bears pear-shaped, glossy fruits which resemble the Fuerte avocado in taste. However, they are typically not too popular commercially, because their taste is milder than other avocados.

14. Bacon

The Bacon avocado is a self-fertilizing variety in cold climates. However, it requires a pollinator in warmer areas. It bears slightly elongated, round fruits with a mild nutty taste. These avocados can reach anywhere between 25 and 35 feet, and they will prosper in fast-draining, loamy soil in a location with full sun. Although this avocado is low-maintenance and tasty, you should avoid it if you have other plants. That’s because the root system of this avocado can be ruthless and it frequently chokes all plants nearby.

15. Cleopatra

The Cleopatra is among smaller avocado types, typically reaching up to 10 feet. It produces large, nut-flavored fruits, which are medium-dark until they ripen which is when their skin turns almost black. The Cleopatra is self-pollinating, but to promote growth, it’s best to pollinate it with another avocado variety. Although small in size, the canopy on these avocados is wide, providing excellent shade for your yard. Commonly, this avocado grows in full sun and needs rich, well-drained soil to prosper.

Conclusion

Each avocado variety is unique and has distinctive properties which set it apart from other avocado types. It’s up to you to choose the variety you’d like to grow depending on your taste requirements and the environmental conditions you live in. If you provide your avocado with everything it needs to prosper, you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor in only a couple of years after planting.

Featured Image Credit: Gil Ndjouwou, Unsplash