The Avocado tree is an evergreen tree that attains heights of *0 to
*0 feet and has many branches. The leaves are elliptic or oval in
shape and 3 to *0 inches long. Flowers are small, greenish, and
perfect (has both male and female parts). The avocado fruit may be
round, pear shaped, or oblong, and the skin of the fruit may vary
in texture and color. The skin may be pliable to woody, smooth to
rough, and green-yellow, reddish-purple, purple, or black in color.
The flesh of the fruit is greenish yellow to bright yellow when
ripe and buttery in consistency, but inferior varieties may be
fibrous. The avocado fruit has one large seed which makes up to *0
- *5% of the fruit weight. The fruit of different avocado varieties
may vary in moisture and oil content, from less than 5% oil to more
than *0% oil. Avocado fruits range from 0.*5 lb to more than 3 lb
in weight.
