Avocado tree named ‘Guacacado’

Abstract

A new distinct cultivar of Persea americana named GUACACADO is described, characterized by exceptionally large fruit with thick, durable skin. Fruit matures from fall to spring. Trees have has a heavy fruit set in the absence of nearby pollinator trees as well is in a cold climate. Trees are observed cold hardy. The new variety is an avocado tree, suitable for home gardener and commercial use.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Avocado tree named GUACACADO as herein illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical samples of fruit on 15 to 20-year-old specimens of the new variety, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in a color illustration of this character. Plants were grown in the San Francisco Bay area in California. Colors in the photograph may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description below, which accurately describes the colors of the new variety.

(2) FIG. 1 Freshly harvested Guacacado avocado fruit showing general shape, skin color and lenticel golden speckles.

(3) FIG. 2 Showing average typical fruit size range of variety from large to small. Fruit is generally 20-32 ounces (566-907 grams) in weight with fruit as large as 48 ounces (1361 grams) occurring.

(4) FIG. 3 Typical large sized Guacacado avocado weighing 36.5 ounces (1035 grams).

(5) FIG. 4 Visual size comparison of freshly harvested typical Guacacado avocado with typical Hass avocado.

(6) FIG. 5 Visual size and color comparison of ripe and ready-to-eat typical Guacacado avocado with typical Hass avocado, both turning to a dark green to near black color when fully ripened.

(7) FIG. 6 Size comparison of typical ripe and ready-to-eat Guacacado avocado with a standard tennis ball.

(8) FIG. 7 Typical size and shape of the Guacacado avocado showing external skin and half cross-section with seed.

(9) FIG. 8 Cross section of Guacacado.

(10) FIG. 9 Typical range of leaf shapes and sizes from Guacacado variety.

(11) FIG. 10 Typical range of leaf shapes and sizes from Guacacado variety side by side with fruit.

(12) FIG. 11 Guacacado avocados laid out in masse.

(13) FIG. 12 Size comparison of typical Hass style avocado with Guacacado avocado and softball and lemon for comparison.

(14) FIG. 13 This photograph taken in August shows typical foliage of the variety as well as 4 month old fruit hanging on the tree from the preceding Spring's flowering event. This fruit will need at least 12 more months hang time on the tree to fully size up and mature to be ready to harvest and eat. The much larger previous year's fruit is hidden deeper in the tree and covered by subsequent foliage push.

(15) FIG. 14 This photograph taken in August shows a nearly mature 14-15-month-old fruit from the previous year's spring flowering side by side with immature 3-4-month-old fruit.

(16) FIG. 15 Guacacado avocados ready to harvest on tree.

(17) FIG. 16 Guacacado avocado flower set.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(18) The following is a detailed description of the new Guacacado variety. As of this writing, the tree is approximately 15 to 20 years of age from seed. The structure, form and habit of the tree are similar in many regards to other Guatemalan or mixed-race Guatemalan/Mexican avocado trees so the focus of the descriptions below are mainly for defining differences. Colors are as defined by The Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart (2007). Botanical classification: Persea americana Mill. GUACACADO. Tree: Growth habit.Guacacado is a rather open structured tree that is taller than wide at 25 tall by 20 wide as of the writing of this document. As the specimen tree is seedling grown, as such it would naturally have a propensity to get larger than a typical grafted tree. Overall growth habit of the tree is upright with semi-drooping branching ends. Main stem bark.Near RHS Greyed-Green 197D. Branch color.The color of the one-year-old branch is RHS Light Yellowish Green N144D, the most recent fully formed flush is also RHS Light Yellowish Green N144D. Smoothness.The bark of a one-year-old branch is smooth and typical of the species. Foliage: Leaf: New leaf flush color.Like many other avocado varieties, the young leaves of Guacacado emerge in varying tones of coppery red with an average hue of RHS Greenish Reddish Orange 174D with a glossy surface. Mature leaf: Shape.Leaf shape is elliptical to slightly ovate with acute tips. Leaf bases range from acute to slightly obtuse. Attitude.Upwards and outwards attitude of leaf to branch, similar in this regard to the common variety Fuerte, unpatented. Length.Leaf length is highly variable but generally ranges from 15-25 cm. Width.Leaf width is highly variable but generally ranges from 4.5-13 cm. Color.RHS Green 131A on the upper surface and near RHS Green 138B on the under surface. Venation.Pinnate and near RHS Yellow-Green 150D in color. Venation on upper surface is level with the rest of leaf surface. Margin.Entire and wavy like the variety Fuerte. Anise aroma.Anise fragrance has not been detected in the stems or leaf. Flower: Bud size.Approximately 5.1 mm in length and 3 mm in diameter. Bud shape.Ovoid. Bud color.Yellow-Green 152D. Sepals and petals.The sepals and petals of a newly, fully opened flower is borne in two whorls of three perianth lobes. The petal and sepal coloration is RHS Yellow-Green Group 154C. Stamen.Each normally formed flower possesses 9 stamens with four pollen chambers each and two nectar glands. Pistil.The single pistil with a slender style and small stigmatic surface has one carpel with one ovule. The ovary is superior. Pedicel.Approximately 4.3 mm in length and 0.6 mm in diameter possessing a slight hammer head with coloration of RHS Yellow-Green Group 150C. Number of flowers per inflorescence.Approximately 50-100 flowers per inflorescence. Pedicel.on average approximately 5 mm in length and 0.5 mm in diameter. The coloration is near RHS Yellow-Green Group 151B. Fragrance.Absent, no scent of anise. Bloom.Bloom period in Coastal SF Bay Area is generally April-June. Opening and pollination.Has predominantly behaved as a group B flower type, opening as female in the afternoon of the first day and closing in the evening or early night, followed by opening as male the morning of the second day. However, during many observations it was found that both male and female flowers were present at the same time. Situated as a standalone semi-isolated tree in a private garden with no other avocado trees within a 50-meter radius, and even then, sporadically so, it is likely that the tree relies heavily upon self-pollination for its ample fruit production. While all avocado trees are self-fertile to varying degree, Guacacado particularly exemplifies robust self-fertility. In the absence of nearby avocado trees, and considering that the chief avocado pollinators are honeybees that typically operate within localized ranges, the Guacacado tree seems to engage in self-pollination. This implies that male and female flowers are often open simultaneously, a phenomenon consistently observed by the inventor. Consequently, the tree can be confidently classified as a strong self-pollinator for an avocado tree. Fruit: Skin color.Mature, harvest-ready hard fruit is overall Green 135A with flecks of Yellow-Green 150C. Ripened, ready to eat fruit varies in the dark green color range, including Green 139A and Yellow-Green 147A. Taste and quality.When ripe, taste is rich and buttery and considered by all who have tasted it to be of high quality. Density.Medium density and firmness. Similar to Reed (unpatented). Texture.Smooth and creamy, no noticeable fibers. Length.Generally ranges from 110 mm to 140 mm. Diameter.Generally ranges from 95 mm to 115 mm. Weight.Generally ranging from 550 gms to 1350 gms (20-48 ounces). Fruit weight is 50%-75% heavier on average than the variety Reed which is considered an exceptionally large sized avocado. Seed/skin/flesh ratio by weight.Approximately 14:14:72. 14% seed (endocarp), 14% fruit skin (pericarp), and 72% flesh (mesocarp). This can be compared to 14:13:73 for the Hass variety, 18:13:69 for the Gwen (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,398) variety, and 19:16:65 for the Harvest (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,238) variety. Shape.Spheroid, like Reed but more asymmetrical. Fruit pedicel.Typical Guatemalan type, 12 to 18 cm in length with a fruit-sided imperfect conical taper at fruit attachment. Nailhead absent. Skin color of freshly harvested fruit.Mature, hard fruit is generally RHS Green Group 135A in coloration with gold flecks of RHS 150C adorning the skin like the patented variety 3-29-5. Skin color of ripened and ready to eat fruit.Like the varieties Hass and Lamb Hass (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,753), Guacacado fruit skin color turns to a dark green to near black color when fully ripened off the tree, and the presence of gold flecks is less apparent. Skin texture.Pebbled and medium rough. Skin structure.Extremely structural due to its thickness and pliability. Skin thickness.Approximately 2 mm on average. This can be compared to 1.6 mm for the Hass variety which is considered a thick skin variety. Guacacado has the thickest skin of any avocado the inventor has encountered. The skin is so thick it can almost be considered a shell. Skin separation.Separates readily and cleanly from the flesh when ripe. Presence of longitudinal ridges.Variable but often present and pronounced on the exterior of most fruit. Adherence of skin to flesh.None; separates readily and cleanly from the flesh when ripe. Main color of flesh.RHS Yellow-Green 140D. Fruit maturation.In the maritime climate of The San Francisco Bay Area, the Guacacado avocado variety takes an exceptional time to fully mature from initial flowering. From the main lower set of April through June, the fruit will take 16 to 18 months to fully mature. This means fruit that is born on the tree in Spring of year one will become ready for harvest in the Fall of year two. And similar with other avocados, the oil content and taste richness increase with extended hang time on the tree. Mature fruit displays a darker and less shiny green hue than immature fruit. Fruit ripeness.Harvested fruit will take between 5-10 days to become ripe and thereby soften. To assess ripeness, apply gentle pressure to the skin and feel for give of the flesh inside. The more give in the flesh equates to more ripeness of the fruit. An even more accurate method of determining ripeness for thicker skinned avocados is the toothpick test. By removing the button on the avocado's end and gently inserting a toothpick through the hole and into the flesh, ripeness can be fully ascertained. If the toothpick enters the flesh with gentle pressure, the avocado is ripe. Conversely, resistance indicates that the avocado requires more time on the counter for thorough ripening. This exacting method ensures an accurate assessment of Guacacado ripeness, particularly valuable due to its unique skin thickness. Harvest period.The Guacacado avocado exhibits its earliest maturing fruit approximately 16 to 18 months after flower pollination. Typically flowering from April to June, the fruit becomes harvest-mature by September to October of the following year. The tree exhibits dual-cropping, holding one crop from the flowering of the previous year and a smaller-sized, immature crop from the current year's flowering for the subsequent year's harvest. Mature fruit can remain on the tree for 6 to 8 months, generally September through April. Seed: Length.Approximately 4.6 cm on average. Width.Approximately 4.4 cm on average. Weight.Ranges from 60 to 75 gms. Shape.Globose to oblong globose, oblate spheroid. Shape (in cross section).Generally circular. Color of seed coat (fresh).RHS Brownish Orange 165B. Other characteristics: Productivity and bearing.Throughout the professional evaluation period from 2020-2024, Guacacado has demonstrated regular albeit somewhat alternate bearing characteristics, consistent with most other avocado cultivars. The year 2020 produced an exceptionally heavy crop, followed by a medium crop in 2021, a light crop in 2022, and notably heavy crop in 2023, with ample fruit still hanging on the tree as of this writing. A typical Guacacado crop is 300-400 lbs of fruit per year per mature 20 year old tree. Like all avocados, annual yield will vary depending on climatological conditions present during flowering and fruiting period as well as availability of water and nutrients. Hardiness.Guacacado exhibits superb adaptability to the cool maritime climate of the SF Bay Area characterized by cool summer fog, seasonal frost and occasional hard freezes. The area's climate is designated zone 17 Northern California Coastal Zone in the Sunset Western Garden Book local climate classification system, and zone 10A on the more general 2023 USDA plant hardiness map. The specimen tree endured the freeze of 2007 as a much smaller tree without any visible damage according to the owner of the property. Notably, during this freeze event, the inventor's retail nursery, located less than 2 miles away within the same climate zone, experienced temperatures in the mid-20 F. range resulting in ground icing for several days and significant damage to freeze-sensitive plants, including avocado trees.