Avocado - Esther Semi Dwarf - Autumn/winter ripening
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$120.00 - Regular price
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$120.00
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A semi dwarf avocado variety which is ideal for the home gardener with limited space. Esther was bred by the University of California, Riverside avocado breeding program and released in the early 1980s, alongside the popular Gwen. It is a cross between a self-pollinated Nabal seedling and a grandchild of Hass, so it shares Nabal heritage with Reed, which it resembles in fruit size and shape. The Esther Avocado is a very heavy producer once established, one of the most prolific of all the varieties we offer. When fully grown, Esther reaches about 4 meters high, and 3 meters wide, but can be kept smaller by light pruning after fruit harvest.
Esther produces avocados that are larger than Hass, round-oval shape, that are creamy, buttery and have a very good flavour. The thick, slightly pebbly skin is a deep green that stays green when ripe and usually peels well. These avocados also store well. Fruit ripens March to August, which is the season when Hass has finished and avocados become expensive in the supermarket.
The fruit takes around a year and a half to mature on the tree, so don't be tempted to pick them early just because they look big. Because of this long hang time, the tree will often carry two seasons' crops at once, with this season's mature fruit hanging alongside next season's younger fruit. This is normal, and Esther still produces one crop per year. Handily, Esther fruit drops from the tree when it's ready and ripens within a few days of falling, which takes the guesswork out of knowing when to harvest.
- Flower Type: A
- Colour when ripe: Green
- Fruit shape: Round to round-oval
- Fruit size: Large (bigger than Hass)
- Seed: Medium to large
- Fruit quality/taste: Very good, creamy and buttery.
- Harvest season: Autumn to winter (March to August)
- Type: Guatemalan
- Origin: California
- Tree Habit: semi dwarf, rounded and compact
Our trees are grafted and will begin flowering in spring. Esther is an A flowering type, but we have found that even when they are planted alone, they still produce massive crops, making this an ideal variety if you only want 1 avocado tree. Planting a B variety nearby, like Bacon, Hellen, Hashimoto, Zutano, Sharwil or Queen, does help with pollination but is not necessary.
Avocado care guide
Just arrived? Keep your tree in a sheltered, semi-shaded spot for 2–4 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 40–60 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 10–15 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. Stake and tie it properly
Young avocados need firm support against the wind from the day you plant. Put in two big, sturdy stakes, one on each side of the tree. Tie soft strips of woollen cloth across between the two stakes, looping them around the trunk, at two heights. This holds the tree firmly in the middle, and the soft cloth won't rub or cut into the bark.
Two stakes with soft woollen cloth tied across at two heights. The tree is held firmly in the middle without damaging the bark.
6. Shelter young trees for 2–3 years
A windbreak around a young tree really helps it grow faster. We wrap clear plastic around four tall stakes to make a sleeve around each young tree. Leave the sleeve open at the top and keep it a little below the top of the tree, so the trunk and lower branches are sheltered while the top still gets plenty of sun and air. Windbreak cloth also works well in exposed spots.
Young avocados in our orchard, each with its own clear plastic windbreak on four tall stakes.
Open at the top and sitting just below the top of the tree, so the trunk is sheltered while the top still gets sun and air.
Use frost cloth when frost is forecast (young trees are damaged around -1 to -2°C). Paint exposed trunks with white water-based paint diluted 50:50 to prevent sunburn.
7. Let the tree grow before it fruits
Pick off any fruit in the first 1–2 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.
