Fuerte Avocado Tree

Fuerte Avocado (Persea americana 'Fuerte') is the classic green skinned avocado, and our advanced 90L grafted trees are the quickest route to picking your own. Left to grow it becomes a spreading evergreen tree about 8m tall and 5m wide, generous enough to double as the backyard shade tree, while pruning after harvest keeps it more compact. Being grafted, it is true to type and comes into fruit years ahead of any seedling.

Why you'll love it

• Fruit worth the space. Fuerte bears the smooth, thin skinned pear shaped fruit the variety is famous for, with creamy flesh that peels cleanly.
• A harvest in the cooler months. Fuerte matures its crop through the cooler months in most districts, when shop prices are at their worst.
• Grafted for a reliable start. Grafted trees fruit sooner and stay true to the variety.
• Fast growing shade. It builds a dense evergreen canopy quickly, so the fruit tree and the shade tree can be the same tree.
• At home in warm climates. Heat and humidity tolerant, it suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens.

Where it works best

Feature and orchard planting. Give it room to spread: allow at least 5m clear of buildings, pools and other trees so the canopy develops evenly.

As the backyard shade tree. Few shade trees pay rent like an avocado. Plant it for summer shade over lawn or a seating area, never over paving you want clean during fruit drop.

Growing Fuerte Avocado in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun with shelter from strong wind. It tolerates light frost only, so protect young trees through their first couple of winters in frost prone areas.

Soil. The make or break factor. Avocados demand deep, free draining soil and will not survive waterlogging. On clay, plant into a mound raised 400mm to 600mm and never into a low, wet corner.

Water and feed. Water deeply through establishment, flowering and fruit development, letting the surface dry between drinks. Mulch thickly to the drip line, clear of the trunk, and feed little and often through the warm months with a fruit tree fertiliser.

Pruning. Prune after harvest to hold the tree at a pickable height and an open shape. Left alone it will push well past 8m, so an annual prune is easier than a rescue cut later.

What to expect when it arrives

We supply Fuerte as an advanced grafted tree in a 90L container, currently on backorder, so allow extra lead time before dispatch. A tree of this size arrives with real structure; advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Stake it for its first season while the roots anchor, and expect strong growth from its first spring.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare all our avocado varieties
• Pair it with a Hass Avocado for heavier crops
• Browse the full fruit tree range
• Planning fruit trees for every season

Common questions

Do I need two trees to get fruit?

No, a lone Fuerte will set fruit in most gardens. It carries B type flowers, though, so planting an A type partner such as Hass nearby noticeably improves pollination and crop size.

How long until it fruits?

Grafted avocados typically begin cropping within a few years of planting, and an advanced 90L tree has most of that waiting already behind it. Expect light crops first, building year on year.

Can I keep it small?

A firm annual prune after harvest holds it near 8m with fruit in picking reach. It is naturally large and vigorous, so plan for a managed tree, not a hedge.

Is it safe around pets?

No. Avocado foliage and fruit are toxic to many animals including dogs and cats, so site the tree away from pet runs and clear fallen fruit promptly.

Why do avocados hate my clay soil?

Their fine surface roots suffocate in waterlogged ground, and root rot follows. Planting on a generous mound of free draining soil solves it in most backyards.