Lauraceae family(Persea americana)
Lauraceae family
Avocadoes were first domesticated in Mexico and Peru sometime during the first millennium B.C. Avocadoes have been an important food in Latin America since before the Spanish conquest. Avocado germplasm from Mexico generally has the greatest cold tolerance. Grafting methods have ensured uniformity in cultivated avocado orchards. Most cultivars commercially grown today are descendants of the varieties 'Fuerte' and 'Hass'. The former has large, smooth, pear-shaped fruit, while the latter has a darker, rougher fruit exocarp but superior flavor and yield. Although by nature a tropical crop, the avocado has been adapted to grow commercially in subtropical, frost-protected regions like coastal southern California. The fruit is a drupe, having a stony endocarp. Avocadoes are naturally outcrossing, due to asynchronous pollen shedding and stigma receptivity.