Can I grow an avocado from a grocery store pit?

Yes, but the resulting tree may take over a decade to fruit and the fruit quality is often unpredictable.

Do I need two trees to get fruit?

While some varieties are self fertile, planting two different types of avocado trees often improves yield.

Plant guide

Avocado.

Persea americana

Pronounced pur-SEE-uh uh-mer-ih-KAH-nuh

Also known as Avocado, Avocado, Alligator pear, Avocado pear

The avocado is a beautiful, fast growing tropical tree that makes a fun indoor project. It thrives in warm, sunny spots and adds a lush, jungle feel to your home. While it rarely fruits indoors, its glossy, deep green leaves are quite lovely.

Another photo of Avocado — Photo by Hugo Saulino (CC0) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Moderate
Plant type: Tropical evergreen tree
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: 6 to 10 feet indoors
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 9 to 11
Bloom time: Early to mid spring

Care

Keep your tree in a warm spot with plenty of bright light to prevent it from getting leggy. Watch for yellowing leaves, which often signal that the soil is staying too wet. If the leaf tips turn brown, it might need higher humidity or a flush of the soil to remove salt buildup.

Watering: Water deeply when the top two inches of soil feel dry to the touch.
Feeding: Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Pinch back the growing tips to encourage a bushier, more compact shape.
Repotting: Move to a larger pot once the roots begin to circle the bottom of the container.
Soil: Well draining, sandy loam
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.0
Temperature: 10 to 35°C
Humidity: 60 to 80%
Drought tolerance: Low
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 50 plus years
Fragrance: Light
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Water running straight through the pot without soaking in.
Stunted growth despite regular feeding.

Safety

People: The fruit flesh is safe for humans, but other parts of the plant may cause mild gastrointestinal upset.
Pets: The leaves, fruit, and bark contain persin, which can be toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.
Children: The large, hard seed poses a significant choking hazard to small children.
Contact allergens: Some individuals may experience skin irritation from handling the sap or leaves.
Airborne allergens: Pollen from avocado trees can trigger seasonal allergies in sensitive individuals.
Edibility: The leaves, bark, and skin of the fruit contain persin, which can be toxic to birds and some mammals if ingested in large quantities.

How to identify it

Large, glossy, dark green leaves
Prominent central leaf vein
Woody, upright central stem
New growth often reddish tinted

Height: 4.5 to 18m
Spread: 3 to 10m
Leaves: dark green, glossy, evergreen
Flowers: yellowish green, 0.5 to 1cm
Fruit: green, purple, black, Fall to winter

Problems to watch for

Persea MitesCommon
PhytophthoraCommon
Root RotCommon
Tip BurnCommon
AnthracnoseUncommon
ChlorosisUncommon
Scale InsectsUncommon
ThripsUncommon

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed, grafting
When to plant: spring
Overwintering: Protect from frost by covering with horticultural fleece or moving containers indoors to a bright, cool location.
In containers: They can grow in large containers, but require a pot at least 60 centimeters wide and deep to thrive long term.

Seed germination

Clean the seed thoroughly.
Insert three toothpicks around the middle and suspend over a glass of water.
Change the water weekly until roots and a stem appear.
Transplant into soil once the stem is 15 centimeters tall.

Planting nitrogen fixing ground covers beneath the canopy helps support the tree's heavy nutrient needs.

Grows well with

Lavender · It attracts pollinators that help with fruit set.
Comfrey · It acts as a dynamic accumulator to provide nutrients to the soil.

Similar species

Bay Laurel · It shares similar evergreen foliage and belongs to the same family.

Science

Family: Lauraceae
Genus: Persea
Order: Laurales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Mexico and Central America
Conservation: Not currently of conservation concern.

It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates with deep, well drained soils.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees
Uses: culinary fruit, ornamental shade tree, oil production

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 8/9
Temperature: 8/9
Moisture: 6/9
Nutrients: 7/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Can I grow an avocado from a grocery store pit?: Yes, but the resulting tree may take over a decade to fruit and the fruit quality is often unpredictable.
Do I need two trees to get fruit?: While some varieties are self fertile, planting two different types of avocado trees often improves yield.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Persea comes from an ancient Greek name for an Egyptian tree, while the species name americana refers to its origin in the Americas.

Good to know

Avocados do not ripen on the tree and only begin to soften after harvest.
The name avocado comes from the Aztec word ahuacatl, which also means testicle.
They are a high source of monounsaturated fats.
Avocados were once known as alligator pears due to their bumpy skin.

Also in

Plants toxic to cats and dogs

Keep your avocado growing

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.