In North Florida, avocado trees that can tolerate our cold winter temperatures can and do produce fruit. Avocado/Persea americana can be recognized as both a fruit and as a berry in botanical terms.

Laurel wilt was first detected in Florida’s commercial avocado production area of Homestead in 2012. Initially, the disease was spread by one species of the redbay ambrosia beetle, Crane said.

Tree growers and researchers across Florida are continuing to try to reduce the harm caused by a decades-old disease that’s impacting avocado production. “A boat came into Port Wentworth ...

The types of avocado trees range widely in size, between 5-8 feet wide and 5-65 feet in height, though most top off at 40 feet in Florida. It is classified as a medium-sized evergreen tree ...

You may also see a Florida avocado on store shelves. This large variety is grown in the sunshine state, and they are a bit lower in calories and fat than the Hass variety.

The disease has destroyed over 350,000 avocado trees in Florida, Rollins said. “We are working to avoid what could be an ecological disaster as the beetle also attacks native trees in the Laurel ...