Avocado Tree

Avocado Tree - August 2026

The avocado tree I grew from a seed has finally given up!  It tried so hard to recover from last year's drought.

Back in 2017, it was just a seed from a store bought avocado, which.I put in a bottle of water to grow:

Avocado Seed in Water
June 2017

It grew indoors until it grew to be about two feet tall.  Gardener friend M and I potted it up, but, kept it indoors.  But then, it got too hot inside the house and the leaves dried up and fell off.  I cut the stem down almost all the way and it regrew.  We hardened it off and set it out in the garden.  Here's how it looked in March 2018:

Avocado Seedling Regrowth 
Msrch 2018

Later, we planted it in the ground and it grew well.  I read that avocado trees grown from seed might not set fruit at all, but, I didn't mind.  I was happy to have it as a regular tree in the garden.  Here's how it looked back in April 2024, when it was thriving:

Avocado Tree - April 2024

Then came summer and it was a hot summer.  By the end of August, the avocado tree was showing signs of heat distress:

In August 2024

But, the leaves were still mostly green.  Then, the September heatwaves began and here's how it looked towards the end of September:

September 2024

Gardener M wondered if it was dead, but, I thought it might revive.  We pruned it back a bit and by January 2025, it looked a a lot better, even if it was a bit lop sided due to all the pruning of dead branches:

In January 2025

It looked promising, didn't it?  I honestly thought it would survive.  But, summer 2025 was brutal and the poor avocado tree struggled.  I didn't take any pictures of the avocado tree during the summer because it looked so pathetic.

However, by October, it had recovered a little bit:

In October 2025

It might have been its last hurrah.  It didn't do well this summer and it is time to say goodbye and uproot it.  I might keep the trunk to use as a pole for a trellis or something.  A little reminder of the avocado tree I grew from a seed.  

M has asked if we'd like a "real" avocado tree for the garden, something grown in a plant nursery which is more likely to actually produce some fruit.  Daughter and I said yes, so, he will check the nurseries for us.  

Meanwhile, I have this waiting in the wings:

New Avocado Seedling - August 2026

I put four store bought avocado seeds to root and only one actually rooted, but, it is growing well in its jar of water.  We'll pot it up once it has cooled down a bit to reduce transplant shock and see what happens.  M will probably roll his eyes at it, but, I do love trying to grow things from seeds and cuttings.  

Thank you avocado tree for the happiness you brought me (as well as the anxious worrying if you'll make it ot not) over the years.