GET TO KNOW LEBANESE AVOCADO
Often referred to as the ‘alligator pear’, the avocado is an integral ingredient in many cuisines. Kinda Bitar, author, TV personality and passionate gardener, tells us more
Avocados are subtropical fruits, and so need a mild climate to thrive. This is exactly the climate characteristic of Lebanon’s coastal areas which has witnessed a booming cultivation of avocados, mainly in the south but also in the Akkar region. With the support of the USAID-funded Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development Project (LIVCD), launched from 2012 to 2019, Lebanon now actually produces six of the most important and delicious varieties of avocado, each of which being unique in its color, shape and texture, with each variety mostly having a different harvesting time, which makes Lebanese avocados available almost all year round. Get to know the Lebanese avocado.
FUERTE
The Fuerte variety has an excellent taste with nutty flavor. The fruit has a pear shape with a characteristic neck, though it can vary from elongated with a long narrow neck to round with a wide and short neck. The skin is thin, green, moderately bright, with a somewhat grainy surface and flexible texture that makes it easy to peel. The fruit size is medium to large (170-500 grams). The seed is medium to large with a flesh ratio of 75-77%.
Growth habit of the tree: Widespread
Flower Type: B
Harvest time: November – March.
HASS
Hass is the most common variety worldwide. It has a rich taste with creamy and nutty flavor, and it contains a high percentage of healthy fats. The fruit is pear-shaped with a dark green color when on the tree, which turns purple to black when ripe. The skin has a medium to coarse, rough texture. The fruit size is small to medium (140-400 grams). The seed size is medium with a flesh ratio of 66-70%.
Growth habit of the tree: Rounded
Flower Type: A
Harvest time: End of January to June.
LAMB HASS
Lamb hass is a very tasty variety. The fruit is solid from the outside, soft on the inside with a buttery texture. It is very similar to Hass but larger and with wider shoulders. It matures later than Hass (June-July), and it has a black skin at maturity. It is also more productive, more tolerant to winds and to high temperatures than Hass.
Growth habit of the tree: Erect
Flower type: A
Harvest time: February to July.
PINKERTON
The Pinkerton variety is pear shaped with a very long neck in temperate climates. The skin is moderately thick, dark green, with protruding granules and is easy to peel. Its flesh has a good quality with a nutty taste. The fruit size is medium (230-425 grams). The seed is relatively small with a flesh ratio of 82%.
Growth habit of the tree: Erect
Flower type: A
Harvest time: January to March
REED
The Reed variety has a magical nutty taste if picked at the right time (March-June). The fruit is round shaped, with medium to coarse skin that is green, corky, slightly grainy and easy to peel. The fruit size is medium to large (270-680 grams). The seed is medium to large with a flesh ratio of 71-72%. The flesh does not blacken after cutting. It is a very productive variety.
Growth habit of the tree: Erect
Flower type: A
Harvest time: March to June
ETTINGER
The Ettinger variety has a narrowly obovate fruit with bright green, fine and fairly smooth skin that is not easy to peel. The pulp is buttery and fibreless with a good taste. The fruit size is medium (250- 350 grams). It is a vigorous tree.
Growth habit of the tree: Erect
Flower type: B
Harvest time: December and February
