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🚚 Shipping Update:
We’re now shipping nationwide across the continental U.S. again! 🌱
📦 Please note: Shipping to California remains paused due to agricultural regulations.
🥑 ‘Fantastic’ Avocado (Persea americana — Mexican race) — Ultra Cold-Hardy, Creamy & Compact-Friendly 🌿
Meet the Texas-selected legend known as ‘Fantastic’ (also circulated as ‘Pryor’ or ‘Del Rio’). Celebrated for exceptional cold tolerance among avocados and a creamy, mild-nutty taste, this Mexican-type cultivar lets growers in cooler edges of the South enjoy homegrown avocados.
SHIPS AS A 3-GALLON PLANT
🌟 Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Persea americana (Mexican race), cultivar circulated as ‘Fantastic’ / ‘Pryor’ / ‘Del Rio’ |
| Plant Type | Evergreen fruit tree (grafted) |
| Sale Size | 3-gallon container |
| Mature Size | Unpruned: 20–30 ft; maintained by pruning: 10–15 ft |
| USDA Zones | 8a–11 (protect in 8a/8b when young) (floridafruitgeek.com) |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun (6–8+ hrs) |
| Cold Hardiness | Frequently reported to ~15–18°F when mature; plan for ~18–20°F in real gardens (site/wind/age matter). (Tropical Acres Farms) |
| Growth Habit | Medium vigor, rounded canopy; evergreen (older leaves can shed before bloom) (Ask IFAS - Powered by EDIS) |
| Spacing | 18–25 ft from structures/trees; rows 20–25 ft |
🍐 Fruit & Harvest Details
- Flavor & Texture: Creamy, mild-nutty flesh with good oil content; smooth to lightly bumpy green, very thin skin (easy to peel). (Tropical Acres Farms)
- Fruit Size: Small to medium (~4–8 oz). (Happy Groves)
- Florida Harvest Window: Summer (July–September) in warm sites. (Tropical Acres Farms)
- Texas / Gulf Harvest Window: August–October typical. (Food Republic)
- Flower Type: Reported as Type A by several sources; others list B. Practical takeaway: it sets alone in warm conditions, but pairing with the opposite type (e.g., plant with a Type B like ‘Brogdon’ or ‘Bacon’ if your Fantastic behaves as A) can boost yield. (Happy Groves)
🌿 Top Benefits
- Best-in-class cold tolerance among avocados (great for 8a/8b-9 edge zones). (floridafruitgeek.com)
- Thin, easy-peel skin and creamy texture for effortless kitchen use. (Tropical Acres Farms)
- Manageable canopy with pruning (keep ~10–15 ft).
- Container-friendly when young; can fruit in large tubs with diligent care.
📍 Where to Plant (and Where Not)
- Choose: Full sun, excellent drainage; mounded beds (2–3 ft high) in heavier soils.
- Avoid: Low pockets that hold water or frost. Protect from north winds in Zones 8a/8b.
- Spacing: 18–25 ft from structures; 20–25 ft between trees if orchard style.
Best Practices for Planting & Care
GreenDreams “High & Tight” Method
- Set root flare at/just above surrounding grade.
- Backfill with native soil (don’t bury trunk).
- Tight tamp to remove air pockets; deep water.
- Top dress with compost + biochar + minerals (e.g., azomite); add wood-chip mulch, keeping 2–4" off the trunk.
▶️ Planting video: https://youtu.be/RRQFY30qdA8?si=rRIcsbLlVAVYotfI
Watering Schedule
- Week 1: daily; Weeks 2–4: every 2–3 days; thereafter: deep weekly in drought.Feeding
- Light, frequent organic feeds in Year 1; 3–4x/year thereafter.Pruning
- Tip-prune early to branch low; maintain 10–15 ft after harvest.Winter (FL & SE):
- Young trees: frost cloth, water the day before freezes; mulch the root zone.
- Mature trees: typically withstand brief teens/upper-teens better in wind-sheltered spots. (aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu)
🪴 Container & Indoor Tips
- Start in 15–25 gal, up-pot gradually (well-draining mix of bark fines + compost + coarse sand/pumice).
- Full sun is non-negotiable; use grow lights if overwintering in bright indoor spaces.
- Maintain 8–12 ft via selective pruning; ensure sturdy stakes and good airflow.
🌼 Companion / Guild Suggestions (we carry many!)
- Nitrogen/biomass: Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), Perennial Peanut (Arachis glabrata), Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea).
- Pollinator support: Firebush (Hamelia patens), Porterweed (Stachytarpheta spp.), African blue basil.
- Aesthetic/native: Fakahatchee Grass (Tripsacum dactyloides), turmeric & edible gingers for lush understory.
🧑🍳 Culinary Uses
- Fresh: salads, toast, citrus-herb bowls.
- Guacamole: mild nutty base; add lime + cilantro + jalapeño.
- Smoothies & dressings: creamy mouthfeel + healthy fats.
Troubleshooting (Florida & Beyond)
| Symptom | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Sudden leaf bronzing/stippling | Avocado lace bug | Early action with insecticidal soap; encourage beneficials; improve vigor. |
| Black tips / leaf scorch | Wind + cold + dry soil | Deep water before fronts; add windbreak; mulch. |
| Yellowing leaves | Over- or under-watering, or seasonal leaf turnover | Check drainage & schedule; brief spring drop can be normal. |
| Low fruit set | Single tree & cool bloom | Add opposite flower type nearby; increase pollinator habitat. |
| Dieback in wet soils | Phytophthora / poor drainage | Replant on mounds, avoid chronically wet sites, keep mulch off trunk. |
(General cold/variety guidance for Mexican types supports these practices.) (aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu)
❓ FAQ
How cold can ‘Fantastic’ go?
Reports range to ~15–18°F for mature, healthy trees; plan conservatively and protect young trees. (Tropical Acres Farms)
Is it self-fertile? What flower type is it?
It can set fruit alone in warm conditions. Most nursery sources list ‘Fantastic’ as Type A, though some lists differ; pair with an opposite type (e.g., Type B ‘Brogdon’/‘Bacon’) to maximize set. (Happy Groves)
When does it ripen?
Florida: generally summer (Jul–Sep). Texas/Gulf: commonly Aug–Oct. (Tropical Acres Farms)
What does it taste like?
Creamy, mild-nutty with good oil content; thin green skin. (Tropical Acres Farms)
⚠️ Cautions
- Soggy soils invite root rot—mound up and don’t overwater.
- Protect young trees from hard freezes; stake in windy sites.
- Thin skin bruises easily; pick carefully.
🌟 Is This Plant Right for You?
✅ Ideal for: Zone 8a–11 growers seeking maximum cold tolerance, Florida/SE Gulf gardeners, and container growers willing to prune and up-pot.
❌ Not ideal for: Shady, poorly drained sites or regions with prolonged sub-15°F freezes without protection.
🚚 Shipping & Handling
- Smaller sizes (4″ & 1-gallon) ship best to Florida, the Southeast & Texas; nationwide shipping available, but plants to northern/western states may need extra recovery after transit.
- Weather advisory: Buyer discretion during heat/cold extremes; we ship Mondays via UPS Ground from Florida.
- Unpack immediately, water deeply, and acclimate to sun.
Local Pickup (Visit Us!)
GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
Tues–Fri 9 AM–5 PM | Sat 8 AM–3 PM
🌿 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services
We don’t just grow plants—we design, build & restore ecosystems across Florida.
- 🌳 Onsite consultations & edible landscape design
- 🚜 Installation & project management
- 🚚 Bulk delivery of compost, mulch, biochar & soils
- 🌾 Wholesale & large-scale regenerative solutions
Let our team help you create your thriving edible paradise—starting with ‘Fantastic’ Avocado! 🌿
🌿 Choose the Right Avocado for Your Climate, Taste & Space
From the cold-hardy ‘Brogdon’ to the tropical giants like ‘Monroe’ and ‘Choquette’, GreenDreams offers cultivars for every grower.
Use the chart below to find your perfect match — based on cold tolerance, flavor, harvest season, and growth habit.
| 🌳 Cultivar | 🔤 Type | ❄️ Cold Tolerance | 🍽️ Flavor / Texture | 🗓️ Harvest Window (FL) | 📏 Growth Habit | 🌟 Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🟣 Brogdon | Type B | 🧊 22°F | 🥑 Nutty, creamy | Jul–Sep | 🌳 20–25 ft | Purple skin, cold-hardy Florida heirloom |
| 🌿 Day | Type A | ❄️ 24°F | 🧈 Mild, buttery | Jul–Aug | 🌿 12–18 ft | Compact, early harvest, great for containers |
| ⚫ Mexicola | Type A | 🧊 18°F | 🌰 High-oil, edible skin | Aug–Sep | 🌳 10–15 ft | Most cold-hardy; edible black skin |
| 🟢 Lula | Type A | ❄️ 26°F | 🧈 Buttery, high-oil | Nov–Jan | 🌳 25–30 ft | Late-season, great pollinator |
| 💚 Monroe | Type B | ❄️ 26°F | 🥑 Creamy, mild | Nov–Feb | 🌲 30+ ft | Vigorous, late harvest, heavy yield |
| 💧 Choquette | Type A | ❄️ 28°F | 🥗 Mild, smooth | Oct–Dec | 🌲 30+ ft | Huge fruit, great for slicing & salads |
| 🖤 Florida Hass | Type A | ❄️ 25°F | 🥑 Classic Hass flavor | Sep–Nov | 🌳 Medium | “Hass look,” adapted for Florida |
| 🌱 Wurtz (Little Cado) | Type A | ❄️ 26°F | 🧈 Creamy, mild | May–Sep | 🌿 8–10 ft | Dwarf size, perfect for pots |
| 🟤 Joey | Type B | 🧊 15–18°F | 🌰 Rich, nutty | Aug–Oct | 🌳 Compact | Ultra-cold-hardy Texas selection |
| 🟡 Fantastic | Type A | 🧊 15°F | 🧈 Smooth, buttery | Jul–Aug | 🌿 Small | Coldest-hardy variety, reliable producer |
| 🟢 Brazos Belle | Type B | ❄️ 20°F | 🥑 Rich, nutty | Aug–Oct | 🌳 Medium | Cold-hardy Texas selection |
| 🌴 Kampong | Type A | ❄️ 28°F | 🍐 Mild, low-oil | Oct–Dec | 🌲 Vigorous | Rare tropical collector’s tree |
| 🌞 Catalina | Type A | ❄️ 26°F | 🧈 Buttery, light | Jul–Aug | 🌳 Medium | Early-season Cuban classic |
| 🌿 Donnie | Type A | ❄️ 28°F | 🥗 Mild, light | May–Jun | 🌲 Large | Very early fruiter, light flavor |
| 🟤 Bacon | Type B | ❄️ 24°F | 🥑 Mild, pleasant | Nov–Jan | 🌳 Medium | Excellent pollinator, winter fruit |
| 🎃 Marcus Pumpkin | Type B | ❄️ 24°F | 🧈 Creamy, mild | Nov–Feb | 🌳 Medium | Unique round fruit; showy shape |
| ⚫ Maria Black | Type A | ❄️ 25°F | 🥑 Creamy, rich | Aug–Oct | 🌳 Medium | Dark skin, balanced flavor |
| 🌿 Talpeno | Type B | 🧊 23°F | 🧈 Buttery, high-oil | Aug–Sep | 🌳 Medium | Cold-hardy hybrid, reliable yields |
| ❤️ Thompson Red | Type A | ❄️ 26°F | 🌰 Nutty, smooth | Sep–Nov | 🌳 Medium | Red blush skin, ornamental appeal |
| 💚 Victoria | Type A | ❄️ 24°F | 🧈 Smooth, buttery | Jul–Sep | 🌳 Medium | Heat-tolerant, compact, productive |
🌎 Regional Recommendations
🧊 Best for Cold Climates (Zones 8b–9a):
‘Brogdon’ • ‘Mexicola’ • ‘Day’ • ‘Fantastic’ • ‘Joey’ • ‘Brazos Belle’
🌞 Best for Warm & Tropical Zones (9b–11):
‘Lula’ • ‘Monroe’ • ‘Choquette’ • ‘Marcus Pumpkin’ • ‘Florida Hass’ • ‘Kampong’
🪴 Best for Containers & Small Spaces:
‘Wurtz (Little Cado)’ • ‘Day’ • ‘Mexicola’
🥑 Harvest Calendar by Season (Florida)
| 🗓️ Season | 🌾 Early | 🌿 Mid | 🍂 Late |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (May–Jun) | Donnie | – | – |
| Summer (Jul–Sep) | Day • Brogdon • Mexicola • Talpeno • Victoria | Florida Hass | – |
| Fall (Oct–Nov) | Maria Black • Choquette | Monroe | Thompson Red |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | Lula • Marcus Pumpkin • Bacon | – | – |
🌱 Pollination Pairing Guide
| 🅰️ Type A Varieties | 🅱️ Type B Varieties | 🌼 Suggested Pairs |
|---|---|---|
| Day, Lula, Choquette, Florida Hass, Wurtz, Mexicola, Victoria, Florida Hass | Brogdon, Monroe, Bacon, Talpeno, Marcus Pumpkin, Joey, Brazos Belle | Brogdon × Day / Monroe × Lula / Talpeno × Florida Hass |
✅ Tip: Plant one Type A and one Type B avocado within 20–30 feet to boost pollination and overall fruit yield.
💚 Pro Tip from GreenDreams
Want fresh avocados year-round?
Plant a trio for staggered harvests:
🌱 Early: ‘Day’ or ‘Donnie’
🥑 Mid: ‘Brogdon’ or ‘Florida Hass’
🍂 Late: ‘Monroe’ or ‘Lula’
With smart selection, your backyard can supply creamy, Florida-grown avocados for 8+ months every year! 🌿
IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS:
*Please be advised that our online store selections are NOT available for pickup at our retail location in Spring Hill, Florida.
Inventory for our online store is located at a separate facility and are priced and handled exclusively for packaging & shipping.
Click here to learn more about our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery location, including countless more nursery selections ready for pickup - larger sizes and wider variety of plants not suitable for nationwide delivery.
1. Shipping Stress: Transportation can be stressful for plants, particularly when they spend several days in a confined, dark environment. It’s common for plants to experience leaf drop during this period. Rest assured, most plants typically recover quickly and thrive with minimal aftercare. However, some may need extra attention, love, and care, requiring appropriate watering and exposure to gentle light post-unboxing.
2. Potential Physical Damage: Despite our dedicated efforts to ensure that your plants are securely packaged, they may incur damage during shipping and handling by UPS. Rest assured, our shipping team is committed to packing your selections with utmost care and precision to minimize any potential harm.
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For significant box damage, please reach out to UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
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For minor damages, such as a broken branch or stem, we advise allowing the plant time to recover and regenerate with proper care and attention.
3. Long-Distance Shipping Considerations: Orders shipped over long distances, particularly to the western US, may take 3 - 5 business days to arrive due to various factors, including agricultural inspections in Arizona, California, and Texas. Such extended transit times can be particularly challenging for tender, young plants, affecting their quality due to prolonged confinement.
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We take additional measures during packaging to facilitate a swift recovery of the plants upon unboxing.
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Initial extra care and attention might be required over the first few weeks post-transport.
For further guidance, kindly review our detailed policies on returns and refunds, as well as our comprehensive plant care guide. We appreciate your understanding and patience in nurturing your new plants.
🌿 Important Shipping Information
Please take a moment to review our shipping protocols designed to ensure your plants arrive in optimal condition.
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Countdown Clock: At the top of our online store, you'll notice a countdown clock. This tool helps communicate our weekly shipping schedule, providing clarity on when you can expect your orders to be dispatched.
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Shipping Schedule: Our nursery, located in the heart of Central Florida, ships orders once weekly, every Monday. This is a strategic decision to prevent packages from being stationary over the weekends, ensuring that our plants travel as swiftly as possible across the country, even reaching as far as California.
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Shipping Method: At present, we offer ground shipping rates to meet various needs while maintaining the well-being of our plants during transit.
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Our Dedicated Team: We are a boutique nursery with a passionate team. Our members wear many hats, contributing to shipping, nursery operations, and engaging in valuable local projects. As we blossom and expand, rest assured that enhancing and streamlining our processes remains a priority to serve you better
Terms and Conditions for Purchasing Live Plants
1. Understanding of Shipping Stress
By purchasing live plants from our store, the customer acknowledges that transportation can be stressful for plants. It is common for plants to undergo leaf drop or experience other temporary issues during shipping. However, it is understood that most plants recover quickly with adequate care and attention post-shipping.
2. Awareness of Potential Physical Damage
Customers acknowledge that despite our best efforts in packaging, there may be occurrences of damage during shipping and handling. For substantial damages to the package, customers agree to contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
3. Acknowledgement of Long-Distance Shipping Considerations
Customers recognize that shipments, especially those directed to the western US, may be subjected to longer shipping durations of 3-5 business days. Customers agree to provide necessary care to the plants, recognizing that the quality of the plants may be affected due to prolonged shipping times.
4. Agreement with Shipping Information and Schedule
Customers, by making a purchase, have reviewed and agreed upon our shipping protocols and schedules. They acknowledge the presence of a countdown clock on the website and our once-weekly shipping policy every Monday, recognizing the rationale behind avoiding weekend layovers for the plants.
5.Extreme Weather Conditions
Customers acknowledge that our store is not responsible for damage or loss of live plants due to extreme weather conditions during transit and delivery. This includes exposure to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months and extreme heat during the summer. We provide tracking information when orders are processed every Monday to ensure customers are aware of the delivery schedule. It is the customer's responsibility to prevent packages from being left outside in conditions that may cause damage. Our store does not accept responsibility for any adverse effects caused by weather conditions beyond our control.
6. No Refund Policy
Customers agree that refunds are only processed under exceptional circumstances. Our store will not be held responsible for poor plant choices relative to location suitability, extreme conditions during and/or post-shipment, and improper post-purchase plant care.
7. Responsibility of Care
Upon purchase, customers agree to assume full responsibility for the ongoing care of the plants. This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate watering, exposure to suitable light, and adherence to specific care instructions pertinent to each plant type.
8. Consent
By proceeding with this purchase, customers consent to all the terms and conditions stated above, confirming understanding and agreement to all stipulations mentioned.
These terms and conditions aim to ensure clarity, mutual understanding, and agreement between the seller and the customer to facilitate a smooth transaction and foster a positive customer experience.
