Origin
Mediterranean
Light
Full sun
Watering
Weekly
Care
Moderate
Flowering
Flowering
Edible & Fruit
Avocatier
Its flowers switch sex through the day: without a second tree from the complementary group, the harvest stays token.
Care Profile
A guide to ensuring your botanical companion thrives.
Origin
Central America
Light
Full sun
Watering
Weekly
Maintenance
Moderate
The tree that needs a neighbour
Grown in Mexico for thousands of years, the avocado has a disconcerting flowering habit: each flower opens as female one morning, closes, then reopens as male the following afternoon.
Varieties therefore fall into two complementary groups, A and B: planting one of each multiplies the harvest, whereas a lone tree sets only a few fruit.
"The avocado cannot pollinate itself: it needs a neighbour and a timetable."
01
Styling Tip 01
Full sun
A very bright, warm position sheltered from wind: its brittle branches cope poorly with gusts.
02
Styling Tip 02
Weekly watering
Water generously but at intervals: its shallow roots rot in soil that stays waterlogged.
03
Styling Tip 03
Plant both groups
Pair a group A variety with a group B one, and mulch the base generously without burying the collar.
Similar plants
More botanical treasures to discover.
Origin
Mediterranean
Light
Full sun
Watering
Rarely
Care
Easy
Flowering
Flowering