I suspect if you looked around you might find some that could grow here at least until we get one of those every-so-often extra cold (for us!) winters. I tried growing my pits several years and had some really beautiful plants, and one or two even made it through a winter or two, but they all died in a few years. There may be selections. Or you could do like some folks on some of these forums and erect a plastic tent and string Christmas lights inside for warmth (or build a greenhouse, of course!) I don't know how old or how large they have to be to fruit.

I was reading that most common Avo's, such as the typical store-bought, usually begin bearing fruit in four to five years when grown from pits (might be a fun start-it-up project).

I have plans to turn a shed out back of the house into a kinda over-wintering sunroom/greenhouse or such. It might be in my best interest to pick up some established Avo's from one of the growers I've dealt with before on eBay and just plant them in a large tub on wheels to keep them manageable and roll them into the shed during the winter.

I'd hate to have a nicely growing tree out in the yard to die or become severely damaged several years from now, but I've not yet found any solid confirmation of them growing to a ripe old age around here.

I live in Abbeville also along Highway 82. I planted 2 avocadoes in spring this year 2011. They were doing fine until the heat in May and June. They didn't look very good. But then the rains came in July and they started to look better. August was another hot month, and they just went downhill after that. I guess it was too much stress on them. They are still in the ground, but I think they are dead.

Check with your extension agent but here they talk about the Mexican variety too tender to be commercial but great for home production.

Looks like you're out of luck. A friend swears his friends grow them in their Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans (but the locals steal them, so it's pointless). But he's a foaming-at-the mouth Liberal so out of touch with reality I'm not sure he's very reliable as an information source.

So, here's an article which offers you zero hope. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/hardy-avocados

Apparently, Avos don't like it too hot OR too cold. Pity, since they are fantastically healthy, in rather unique ways:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5

The scary thing is that California's demographics are getting so horrible that vast amounts of prime agricultural land is now virtually abandoned. It's just too dangerous to farm there, now. So, it would be wonderful to have a grove in extreme South Louisiana.

However, I knew a Sicilian whose Grandfather had a Lemon tree he grew from a seed he'd collected in Palermo. This was in Jackson, Mississippi, in a Southeast-facing 'sun trap' beside his house. The tree was big and productive (until the Demographic Undertow bought the house, cut down the Lemon Tree, and replaced it with Pit Bulls). Anyway, if you could create a microclimate (a sun trap, plus a body of water like a swimming pool, plus emergency cover during hard freezes.... and a high adjacent tree canopy to shade the tree from noontime onward....maybe...

I grow several different avocados here is south Ms. Brazos belle, lido, Joey. These are Texas types of Mexican avocados. You can purchase the from Paul Bounds Nursery in Picayune, Ms. The claim is they will handle the cold down to 14 degrees. I'm
not going to see as I grow mine in containers on wheels and bring them in the garage when a freeze is coming. Same for my limes and lemons. The Brazos belle type outgrows the others 3 to 1. Lots of lime and no soggy roots is the secret. Mine produced fruit the 2nd yr after purchase. Hope this helps.

You can make a cover out of plastic pvc pipe or weld a
metal from an old trampoline and put plastic on top
or just plant under a tree that would provide protection

I have 2 plants in pots that I started from seeds and have wondered about putting them in the ground. They are a few years old -- I have been bringing them indoors through the winter... Do you think they would survive in the ground?

I have one in Denham Springs, just outside of Baton Rouge. It is in a Jack Daniels half whiskey barrel. I planted it last year. It put out at least 1 million blooms this year, and appears to have about 5 avocados growing on it currently. I moved it in and out of my garage every time temperatures hit freezing this winter. It is a Hass variety btw. Fertilized a few times with Vigoro Citrus and Avocado fertilizer. Has grown great. It is probably about 6 ft. tall now.

I live in New Orleans on the westbank. I have a large Mexicola Grande tree and a Brogdon tree. They produce hundreds of avocados each year. Of the two varieties, Brogdon is easiest to use (with uniform ripening and a long shelf life). Both are very good avocados. I have been unable to grow Hass.

hi Vintner3, I wanted to ask if you have a plant or two of the Mexicola Grande that you could send me? I am in Opelousas, La

thanks and God Bless

David,

Call Ray over at Citrus Trees NOLA http://citrustreesnola.com/

He's the best knowledgeable source for avocados that I'm aware of. He told me that Avocado's need to be grafted to get fruit in a reasonable amount of time. Plants from seeds can take 10 years or more.

Waving to you, David Lanclos, from Ville Platte. I was just wondering if you ever received an avocado tree from vintner3? Also, did you try Lastrappes Nursery?

Actually, I've never gotten an avocado tree from any nursery. the two that I have were started from seeds. They keep growing bigger each year, but have never made a bloom... But they look nice!

I have a lila and it bore fruit the first year , last freeze did burn the tops of the branches I live in lafayette