Don Carlitos Avocado. Possibly a WI X G hybrid. B flower type 17.5% dry weight
Don Carlos Avocado Picture taken December 23,2012
Don’t know much about this seedling. What I know is that is holding fruit in Miami as of the time of this writing, March 3, 2013. A lot of nice size fruit with beautiful green color. The tree is growing in a backyard with no fertilizers or spray program of any kind. The fruit is relatively clean specially taking into concideration our wet summer. Seems like a Lula seedling crossed possibly with Monroe or Hall. Notice the Large leaves and the curled edge, similar to a Monroe tree. To check the possibilities of this tree it need to be grown outside this area. Is the only tree in the area holding fruit so all the squirrels in the area are feeding on it. At this time is not holding flower buds so it can be an alternate bearer.
March 19, 2013: I top worked a tree a few days ago.
July 24, 2013: The original tree did not flower this year, it held fruit late and probably did not have the energy to flower again.
December 28, 2013: Don Carlitos is doing and growing well, seems to be beginning to form flower buds. Seems like is going to be a late flowering tree, probably after February
January 28, 2013: Don Carlitos looks good. No sign of flowering.
February 13, 2014: The tree is pushing leaves, no flowers. No flowers this year.
March 11, 2014: Only a handful of flowers. Looks like B flower type but not 100%
April 17, 2014: No fruit set this year.
February 26, 2015: This is one of my late variety expectations, seems to be ready to flower. The buds are expanding today and should be flowering in a few days.
March 15, 2015: Lots of flowers open. Is definitely a B type. I see BB size fruit set.
June 19, 2015: Beginning to see more fruit and getting bigger
September18, 2015: The fruit survived July and August. A lot of fruit on the tree. Keeps on growing slowly, no fruit drop seen.
November 7, 2015: A lot of fruit is droping. Picked some to taste. Disappointed if not held on the tree longer.
March 19, 2013: I top worked a tree a few days ago.
July 24, 2013: The original tree did not flower this year, it held fruit late and probably did not have the energy to flower again.
December 28, 2013: Don Carlitos is doing and growing well, seems to be beginning to form flower buds. Seems like is going to be a late flowering tree, probably after February
January 28, 2013: Don Carlitos looks good. No sign of flowering.
February 13, 2014: The tree is pushing leaves, no flowers. No flowers this year.
March 11, 2014: Only a handful of flowers. Looks like B flower type but not 100%
April 17, 2014: No fruit set this year.
February 26, 2015: This is one of my late variety expectations, seems to be ready to flower. The buds are expanding today and should be flowering in a few days.
March 15, 2015: Lots of flowers open. Is definitely a B type. I see BB size fruit set.
June 19, 2015: Beginning to see more fruit and getting bigger
September18, 2015: The fruit survived July and August. A lot of fruit on the tree. Keeps on growing slowly, no fruit drop seen.
November 7, 2015: A lot of fruit is droping. Picked some to taste. Disappointed if not held on the tree longer.
Don Carlitos avocado fruit. November 17, 2015.
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November 17, 2015: Tasted the fruit today. A large specimen. Very creamy, very tasty, no dark spots, no disease of any kind. Solid texture no green taste at all Reminds me of a creamier Pollock. Skin peels off without effort and without leaving any residue or small pieces of skin. Skin is hard so these need to be eaten at the slightest softness of the skin. Took like 8 days to ripen at room temperature. This is one of the best avocado I have tasted this season and comes in 3-4 weeks before the Monroes are at their prime. What a pleasant surprise. Will do a dry weight test soon,very curious. Did. 17.5% dry weight. Proofs that dry wight and flavor are not always related.
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November 21, 2015: There is still a lot of fruit on the tree, some are falling. Continues to be the best tasting avocado in the grove. After 24 hrs in the refrigerator. It shows zero oxidation. Icing in the cake. I imagine as this tree is moved north to Broward and West Palm Beach can be a Thanksgiving-Christmas avocado.
August 9, 2016: Now I have 3 trees of Don Carlitos, all holding fruit and the original trees is holding a decent amount in a crazy year. Some of the new trees are in the low nitrogen zone so I would expect they would hold on the tree to November or longer. Definitely nor an alternate bearer. I gave fruit to a lot of people asking to review the flavor. The result: every asked for more.
August 9, 2016: Now I have 3 trees of Don Carlitos, all holding fruit and the original trees is holding a decent amount in a crazy year. Some of the new trees are in the low nitrogen zone so I would expect they would hold on the tree to November or longer. Definitely nor an alternate bearer. I gave fruit to a lot of people asking to review the flavor. The result: every asked for more.
October 22, 2018 Don Carlitos Avocado
Click on the image to enlarge
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October 23, 2018: Out of the 3 trees only one set fruit this year. The other two went down in Irma last September they had to be pruned and stud up, may be we get fruit next year. The tree that survived did set a lot of fruit. We have been eating them since mid September even thought they don't ripen until later October. The flavor and the quality this fruit have are really amazing. The taste is a ten, the best I grow, consistency really nice, never watery, always firm. This surviving tree is in the late fruit zone so it gets sprayed regularly. The fruit is very clean, seem to be a lot larger this year, probably from the amount of fertilizer I added after the hurricane to help the trees recover. This year they seem "meatier". Not sure if this could be a commercial variety because the fruit ranges in the two pounds. On the other hand this fruit can be saved in the refrigerator without any oxidation.
One thing I need to mention. This particular tree was top worked into a Beta Avocado. The Beta is very prolific and a small tree. I'm almost certain that the Beta has transferred some of the attributes to the Don Carlitos. This tree is smaller and wider than the others and sets fruit like grapes, two pounders. I don't have proof for this and have not seen any serious work on this subject but there is something here. We will see next year. I know what some people are going to ask: How does it compare to Catalina or Oro Negro. For my taste I will pick DC over the other two. I know I hace commented that I don't particularly like the canistel-egg salad taste of some fruit like Catalina, oro Negro Nishikawa. This has none of it, my be that is why I like it so much. For the people that complaint about watery avocados, this is the one. I will follow this tree closely the next few months. This is a good quality avocado that deserves to be propagated. 1) excellent flavor and texture 2) good producer 3) can be stored in refrigerator over night with no oxidation 4) ability to get picked even outside of optimal range. Mid September to November? will be paying attention this year 5) desease resistant |