Fun Facts About Avocados
- Avocado trees can grow as tall as 80 feet and produce as many as 400 fruits annually.
- The United States provides 6 percent of the world’s crop, ranking third behind Mexico and Chile.
- Forty-three percent of American household’s purchase avocados.
- Consumers love the rich, creamy texture of the Hass avocado and growers favor it for its disease resistance and year-round growing cycle.
- Mature avocado trees grow to an average of 65 feet tall and, if grown from seed, will produce fruit any time after five to 20 years. It is biennial-bearing and may produce heavy crops one year followed by poor yields in the next.
- Intolerable to freezing temperatures, this evergreen tree can only grow in subtropical and tropical climates.
- The grafted cuttings produce fruit within one to two years, commercial avocado orchards are planted using grafted trees and rootstocks. The species is unable to self-pollinate and most cultivars today are clonally propagated (without seed reproduction).
- The avocado fruit does not ripen on the tree but will fall off and ripen on the ground. Commercial avocados are picked unripe and shipped to ripen on the store shelf.
What’s Included in the Avocado Lesson Plan
- History
- Tips & recipes
- Nutritional information
- Presenter outline & talking points
- Sticker template
- PowerPoint presentation
- Student handouts
Can’t get enough fruits and veggies? Every month we feature a new fruit or veggie. Get fun facts, recipes, and more!
South Dakotans aren’t getting enough… (especially veggies) and it’s hurting our health. The good news is that more matters and all we need to do is get 5 a day.