Hass avocado trees yield delicious, creamy, nutty fruit and account for 80% of the avocados eaten worldwide.
Hass avocados are the most popular avocados out there—these rich, creamy, pebble-skinned fruits account for about three-quarters of the avocados eaten worldwide.
While farmers and grocery stores relish these fruits for their impressive shelf life, there’s nothing better than a home-grown Hass avocado.
With the right conditions and a little work, your Hass avocado tree will bear nutritious fruit in about five years. We’ll discuss how Hass avocados differ from other varieties and explain how to plant and care for your own tree.
History
The Hass avocado comes from a specific cultivar of the Persea americana tree and has a compelling history.
Before Hass avocados hit the scene, the Fuerte avocado—a milder version descended from earlier cultivars in Mexico and Central America—was the most popular. By the 1900s, Fuertes had spread to the U.S.
Postman and budding horticulturist Rudolph Hass thought he had purchased Fuerte avocado seedlings in the 1920s. After planting them, the tree didn’t fruit for a long time. When it finally did, Hass discovered a bumpy, thick-skinned, rough-textured fruit unlike what he’d expected. Despite his urge to chop the tree down, his children were fans of the nutty, creamy fruit and convinced him to keep it. In 1935, Hass patented the Hass avocado. Every one since is a descendant of that very tree, which died in 2002.
Appearance
Hass avocado trees are dense evergreens with glossy, leathery leaves that have a veined pattern. These trees can grow up to 7 feet tall in a container and up to 30 feet when planted in the ground. On the tree, Hass avocados have green skin. Once harvested, the skins turn nubbly and dark purple-black. The fruits are heavy, weighing 200–300 grams (8–10 ounces).
Hass Avocado Tree Specifications
Feature | Description |
Appearance | Veined, glossy green leaves, fruit with nubbly skin that turns black when picked |
Height | Up to 7 feet tall in a container, up to 30 feet tall in the ground |
Hardiness Zones | 9–11 outdoors, 4–11 indoors in container |
Type of tree | Evergreen |
Sunlight requirements | Minimum of six full hours of sunlight a day |
Soil composition | Loose, sandy, or loamy, well-draining with a pH of 6.5 or lower |
Lifespan | 200–400 years |
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones illustrate the regions where specific plant types thrive. There are 11 Zones in total across the U.S. Hass avocado trees thrive outdoors in Zones 9-11, well-suited to warm climates from southern California along the Gulf Coast through Florida. They cannot tolerate extremely cold temperatures—of those areas, it gets the coldest in Zone 9, so it is best to plant your Hass avocado tree with southwest exposure in that region. Indoors, a potted Hass avocado tree can live in nearly any climate in the contiguous 48 states as long as it has adequate warmth and sunlight.
Planting
When you decide to plant your Hass avocado tree, make sure to buy your seedling from a gardening center. While you can germinate a pit from a store-bought avocado, it won’t bear fruit for many years, if at all.
The best time to plant your Hass avocado tree is when the soil has warmed, preferably between March and June. Choose a wind-sheltered area with excellent drainage and full sun
Here are the steps to take when planting your Hass avocado tree:
Remove any turf grass, weeds, or debris within a 10-foot diameter of where you want to plant your new seedling.
Dig a hole about three times the diameter of the seedling’s container and 3–4 times as deep. It’s important that you don’t plant your tree too deep, as avocado trees have shallow roots.
Take the seedling out of its container and place it gently into the hole. You want the root ball to be slightly above the level of the surrounding soil.
Backfill the hole and tamp down the soil gently.
You’ll need to water your newly-planted Hass avocado tree every other day or every three days for the first week or so, and then twice weekly for the next few months. Adding fertilizer or compost is not advisable, because you want your tree to acclimate to the soil as soon as it can.
Risks
Hass avocado trees are susceptible to various diseases and pests.
Diseases
Phytophthora, which causes root rot, fruit rot, and collar rot, spreads through watering. To help prevent this issue, make sure you have excellent soil drainage and keep your tree dry. Unfortunately, once phytophthora sets in, there is no way to save an established tree.
Avocado black streak causes cankers, but its own cause is unknown. It creates cracked, black lesions on Hass avocado tree trunks and branches. Proper irrigation can help you avoid this issue.
Pests
Common pests that disturb Hass avocado trees include avocado mites, avocado brown mites, and persea mites. You can treat all of these with neem oil. You can prevent mealybugs and avocado thrips by introducing ladybugs to the environment.
FAQ About Hass Avocado Trees
How big does a Hass avocado tree get?
Hass avocado trees can grow up to 30 feet tall in the ground and 7 feet tall in a container.
How long does it take for a Hass avocado tree to bear fruit?
It takes Hass avocado trees about five years to bear fruit.
Are Hass avocado trees self-pollinating?
Hass avocado trees can self-pollinate, as they have the parts for both male and female genders, only at opposing times.
What is the difference between a Hass avocado and a regular avocado?
A “regular” green avocado may be a species called the Florida avocado, which are lower in calories and have less fat than Hass avocados.
Come see our Poe Garden Haas Avocado plant in the Poe Garden soon!
Information for this blog post: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/gardening/reviews/hass-avocado-trees
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