Have you ever planted an avocado seed from a fresh fruit? Did you grab a cup and toothpicks to get started? Yes? STOP! Unless you are doing an activity to teach someone about how plants grow from seed, this is NOT the next way to plant an avocado tree. Though, it is really interesting to see how roots and stems come out of a seed.

Avocado trees can grow up to 65 ft tall. These evergreen trees take about seven years to produce fruit from seed. Commercially, most fruit trees are grafted to guarantee the fruit quality. Growing any fruit tree from seed means the quality of fruit will vary from the parent plant. If you have space for the tree, patience for the fruit, and you like the excitement of seeing what the new fruit tastes like; be sure to get the seedling off to the right start.

After removing the seed from the fruit, wash it off. Place it pointed side down in a pot of soil. Place in the sun and water as needed. In a few weeks, you will see the seed sprouting! In a few months, you can place this in your desired planting location. Planting the tree in the ground early allows for better root and trunk stability as it grows.

Keep an eye out for pest and disease signs. Since this tree is from a seed, rather than grafted; it will not have the same pest and disease resistance that the parent plant did. With proper care, your seed can grow into a healthy tree.

Additional Resources: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG213

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