3.1 Avocado Tree Size
Table 1 gives size information for avocado trees planted in the USDA orchard. Individual trees sampled for
Simmonds and for Tonnage were 1.34 m and 1.50 m tall, respectively. Tonnage x Simmonds crosses were 3 –
4.5 m tall. The orchard sits on thin, very rocky soil formed from oolitic limestone on the Miami Ridge. Small
inclusions of loamy to sandy material fill cavities and solution holes formed in the limestone. This provides a
supplemental nutrient source for plants. Trees tended to grow larger where their roots could access these cavities.
Very little limestone scarification providing access to cavities occurred in areas planted with Simmonds and
Tonnage varieties; consequently, after 5-years growth, these trees were smaller than crosses.