• Avocado is the fruit of the avocado tree.Avocado image by Silvia Bogdanski from Fotolia.com
  
  Avocado trees are dense evergreens that can reach over 80 feet tall. They produce yellowish-green flowers that begin appearing in early spring. When pollinated, the flowers can produce the fruit of the tree, avocados. The fruit begin growing in late spring to early summer, and can be ripe and ready to pick, as soon as summer, or as late as the next February. An avocado is a pear-shaped fruit, that is green to black in outward appearance. When cut open, the avocado is yellowish-green with a 2-inch pit or seed on the inside.
  
  

'Zutano'

• The 'Zutano' avocado tree is a native to Mexico. It is a dense, evergreen, fast-growing tree that can reach 80 feet. The leaves on the plant can measure 24 inches long and are medium green in color. The leaves have an anise scent to them. 'Zutanos' produces ripe fruit from November through January. The fruit are small-to-medium, pear-shaped, avocados. The skin of a 'Zutano' avocado is semi-smooth and green with small yellow colored flecks. This cultivar can be grown in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 8 to 11.
  
  

'Fuerte'

• The 'Fuerte' avocado tree is native to Mexico. It is bushy looking with branches growing in all directions. It can grow to be 50 feet tall. The smooth, dark green leaves are long, measuring 6 to 12 inches long, and oval in shape. The tree produces ride fruit from November through January. The fruit are large and pear shaped with thin, dark green skin with many small, raised pale white spots, resembling pimples. The 'Fuerte' avocado tree can be grown in USDA zones 9b through 11.
  
  

'Haas'

• The 'Haas' avocado is a cultivar native to Guatemala. It is a dense, evergreen, fast-growing tree that can reach 80 feet. The 'Haas' avocado has dark green, smooth leaves that can measure 2 feet long each. The leaf veins are prominent. The tree produces ripe fruit in summertime. 'Haas' avocados are medium sided with black-green wrinkly skin. The 'Haas' avocado tree can be grown in USDA zones 9b through 11.
  
  

'Pinkerton'

• 'Pinkerton' avocado trees are native to Guatemala. 'Pinkertons' are dense, evergreen, fast-growing trees that can reach 80 feet. The leaves of the tree are yellow-green to medium green and can measure 12 to 18 inches long. The leaves are oval shaped, but have toothed edges. The bark at the base of the tree has a greenish tint to it. The tree produces ripe fruit from late October through January. The fruit are medium, pear-shaped and have dark green leather-like skin. The 'Pinkerton' cultivar can be grown in USDA zones 9b through 11.