Avocado - Mexicola Grande - Cold hardy - Winter-Spring Ripening
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$120.00 - Regular price
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- Sale price
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$120.00
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This is a unique and intriguing avocado variety that produces black-skinned fruit with yellow-green, buttery flesh. The fruit has a medium-sized seed and is about the size of a typical Hass avocado, and much larger than the Mexicola variety. The tree itself is fast-growing, highly attractive, and features larger, rounder leaves than most other avocado trees.
One of the standout features of this variety is that the fruit changes color while still on the tree, making it easy to know exactly when itās ready to harvest. This eliminates the guesswork often associated with picking avocados.
Mexicola Grande is one of the most cold hardy and frost tolerant varieties in the country once established, and is suitable for growing in coastal conditions. Frost protection is required until the tree is established.
Mexicola Grande is an A flowering type, and although avocado trees in our climate are self fertile, they do produce more fruit if 2 are planted near each other with opposing flower types. If you're looking for a B type companion for this tree that is also cold hardy, consider Edranol, Jim, Bacon or Zutano.
Grafted onto Zutano rootstock.
Avocado care guide
Just arrived? Keep your tree in a sheltered, semi-shaded spot for 2ā4 weeks before planting. See our acclimation guide.
1. Drainage is everything
More avocados die from wet roots (Phytophthora root rot) than anything else. Plant on a mound 40ā60 cm high (go higher on heavy clay) using a free-draining mix. Never dig a hole into clay; it fills with water like a bucket. Keep the graft union above the soil.
2. Water the root ball, not the calendar
For the first year, the root ball dries out faster than the soil around it. Check 5 cm down and water deeply only when it's dry. In summer that's usually once or twice a week, more often on sandy soil or in a heatwave. In winter, you'll barely need to water.
3. Mulch thick, but keep it off the trunk
Put 10ā15 cm of coarse wood chip or bark out to the drip line, with a 10 cm gap around the trunk. Avocado feeder roots are shallow, so don't dig or plant anything around the base, and keep lawn well away.
4. Feed little and often
Give small feeds of a balanced fertiliser (one with zinc and boron) in spring, summer and early autumn. Don't feed in winter. Spread it at the drip line, keep it 40 cm from the trunk, and water it in.
5. Shelter young trees for 2ā3 years
Use windbreak cloth in exposed spots and frost cloth when frost is forecast (young trees are damaged around -1 to -2Ā°C). Paint exposed trunks with white water-based paint diluted 50:50 to prevent sunburn.
6. Let the tree grow before it fruits
Pick off any fruit in the first 1ā2 years so the tree puts its energy into branches and roots. Only prune to remove dead wood or keep the tree in shape.
What's normal (don't panic)
- Old leaves dropping in spring: normal. Avocados shed old leaves as they flower and push new growth.
- Brown, crispy leaf tips: usually salt or fertiliser burn, or dry roots. Flush with a deep watering and ease off on feeding.
- Most flowers and tiny fruit dropping: normal. Avocados produce thousands of flowers and set only a few.
- Yellowing leaves and wilting in wet soil: a root rot warning sign. Stop watering and check drainage.
Want more detail? Read our full Avocado Tree Care Guide or planting in clay soil.
