Avocado - hardiest form

Hi all. I saw an Avocado recently that was in Zone 8b and the owner said it was from smaller Mexican fruit. I believe it was 'Mexicola' but I'm not sure. Anyone know of the most cold-hardy cultivar? Thanks.

As far as I can find, it appears that 'Mexicola' and 'Gainesville' are probably the hardiest of the common varieties, but I found some posts about "Devine Avocados", a nursery in Austin, Texas owned by Bill Schneider who advises Texas A&M on growing avocados and collects avocado grafting wood from trees that are producing in cold prone areas. He doesn't have a web presence, but I did find an article with his email and phone number.

http://www.woai.com/gardening/story.aspx?content_id=E497EF13-07BE-40BC-9834-EDC489DAB5A6

Thanks! I've emailed him. The article didn't come up but I found him on google. Hopefully I can find these somehow. The tree I saw looked quite healthy in Z8b under an overhang.

So sorry! It was working yesterday morning. I found another link to what I saw yesterday. Hope you get to this one before they move it again. I also found complete contact info if you need it. Keep us posted.

http://www.woai.com/gardening/story.aspx?content_id=E497EF13-07BE-40BC-9834-EDC489DAB5A6

Devine Avocados
Bill Schneider
612 Windy Knoll
Devine, Texas 78016
(830) 663-2492
brs@devtex.net

I certainly appreciate the lead. He hasn't emailed back yet so lets see what happens. I thought it was going to be easy to find these varieties. Go out to a specialty Mexican market and buy them. Well the Mexicans have said they are "weird/strange" avocados and aren't available. I like the hunt anyways. Thanks again.

Oh, I met that guy once! He's in my county (he's in the southern part, I'm in the northern part of the county )! I think maybe the relatively cold-hardy avocado tree is an idea that will catch on, eventually. If I can get an extension built of our fence so we can have a larger yard, I might get one of his plants myself. There's already an avocado plant here that came up near my compost pile. It's just from a grocery store pit, but it's survived for a few years already, and I haven't protected it at all. I'm in Zone 8. I had saved an article on those avocado trees, but don't know where it is now.
Linda

Post here if you find out more.
Thanks, trois

Bill did email me back despite having a broken arm from a car accident. From what he told me, he's taken the Mexican form of Avocado and selected the best performers for his area that take drastic changes in temps and sudden frosts. I'd say he's developing his own cultivars that do well in Z8a/b Texas. He suggested I do the same for my mild Z8b that has cool summers and mild winters.

If you folks get any information about these avocados I'd sure appreciate shooting me a message. I'd love to get some started. I used to work groves when I was a teen in southern california and have a couple acres that would love these trees

Yes, please post info here, as I'm sure there are many of us zone 8 avocado lovers! I'm zone 8 but with a short growing season, 'cause while it warms up in the daytime, the nights chill down and we have early fall and late spring nighttime frosts. I wonder if a south facing wall that is protected would help??? (Dreaming of Guacamole...)

PatriciaS, you will probably find it easier to find 'Mexicola' or 'Mexicola Grande' in California than I will up north. Check around and you will probably find some nursery somewhere in California that has it. You might also try the California Fruit Explorers if anyone on their list has it. Let me know. Mike

Thanks, growin', I'll look. Having only really eaten Haas my whole life, I have to ask, does Mexicola taste anything like Haas?

I believe the taste is good. Check this out: http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/avocado.html
It says Mexicola is hardy to 17F. Apparently it is grown as a minor crop in parts of California

I remember a very large Avacado Tree near Ventura. It was very tall, and at certain times of the year, deep piles of rotting fruit, knee deep in places. I remember the lowest limb was about 30 feet off the ground. Such a waste of fruit. It was just off the side of a road leading in from inland, and was a few miles from the ocean. I wish I had it.

Oh how I wish I could grow some of the fruits you can :0)) But I do love to read your posts about it, drooling big time
But I did find some links for you guys.
Janett
http://www.buyplantsonline.com/shop/searchresults.asp?ProdStock=AV002
And some info on our own Garden Wtchdog about Clifton's Flower & Garden Center
http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/1819/
Here you have my whole google result if you want some more options
http://www.google.se/search?hl=sv&q=%27Mexicola%27+avocado&meta=

Good news.
Galveston County Master Gardner Association is selling two varieties of hardy Avocados Saturday, Feb.4 at Carbide Park, in La Marque. Sale starts at 9 AM. They have many other things also.
trois

We went down to the Master Gardner sale in Carbide Park, Galveston county to buy some hardy Avaocados. The sale was to start at 9AM. We got there early, parked a mile away, and never even got to see an Avocado tree, or Barbados Cherry. It looks like thousands of people showed up for this one. By the time we got to the sale area, there were only a few plants left, of any kind. We were there, at the sale area, by 9:10 AM.

Sorry to hear that Trois. Well, contact Bill (Divine Avocados) and order some plants. He may have some or it may take a while but atleast he's a specialist.

Will do. Thanks.