🥑 ‘Lula’ Avocado (Persea americana) — Florida Heritage Classic + Late-Season Producer + Proven Cold Tolerance 🌿
Before Hass dominated grocery shelves, ‘Lula’ was the backbone of Florida avocado production. Strong, vigorous, dependable — this cultivar built its reputation the old-fashioned way: performance in the field.
If you want a tree with deep Florida roots, excellent eating quality, and a reliable late-season harvest, ‘Lula’ belongs in your orchard.
SHIPS AS A 3-GALLON GRAFTED TREE
🌟 Quick Facts Guide — ‘Lula’ (3-Gallon)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Persea americana ‘Lula’ |
| Plant Type | Evergreen fruit tree (grafted cultivar) |
| Sale Size | 3-gallon container |
| Estimated Age (3-gal) | ~18–30 months from graft |
| Mature Height (Unpruned) | 20–25 ft |
| Managed Height | 10–15 ft with pruning |
| USDA Zones | 9a–11 (best performance) |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun (6–8+ hrs daily); partial filtered light acceptable in intense Florida heat |
| Cold Hardiness | Often tolerates brief dips to ~25°F when mature |
| Growth Habit | Vigorous, upright-spreading; dense canopy |
| Spacing Requirements | 18–25 ft in-ground |
| Flower Type | Type A (excellent pollinator for Type B varieties) |
| Primary Strength | Long harvest window + reliable production |
🍐 Fruit & Harvest Details
| Trait | Description |
|---|---|
| Fruit Size | 10–20 ounces |
| Shape | Oval with slight neck |
| Skin Color | Green |
| Flesh Color | Creamy yellow-green |
| Texture | Smooth, low fiber |
| Flavor Profile | Rich, nutty, balanced |
| Oil Content | Moderate to high |
| Typical Florida Harvest | October–December |
| Ripening Behavior | Ripens off-tree after harvest |
‘Lula’ delivers consistent fall harvests when many summer varieties are finished — making it a powerful anchor in a multi-cultivar orchard plan.
🌿 Why Grow ‘Lula’?
- 🏆 Historic Florida favorite
- 🌳 Vigorous, reliable growth
- 🥑 Excellent eating quality
- ❄️ Solid cold tolerance for a subtropical avocado
- 🌼 Type A flower — boosts yields when paired with Type B trees
- 🌾 Former commercial industry standard
🌿 Origin & Heritage
‘Lula’ was first planted in Miami, Florida in 1915 by nurseryman George B. Cellon, who named it after his wife. By 1921 it had entered the nursery trade and quickly became one of Florida’s most important avocado cultivars.
It is a hybrid of Guatemalan and Mexican avocado types, combining improved cold tolerance with rich flavor and dependable production.
This tree isn’t just a fruit source — it’s Florida avocado history.
🏡 ALSO AVAILABLE IN LARGER SIZES + PICKUP-ONLY OPTIONS
We carry ‘Lula’ and many other avocado cultivars at our Spring Hill nursery — often in larger sizes for faster establishment and earlier fruiting.
Pickup-only sizes may include:
- 7-gallon
- 15-gallon
- Landscape-ready specimens
🌿 Our retail nursery also offers countless plants not listed online, including seasonal and rare avocado selections available only for local pickup.
📍 Where to Plant ‘Lula’ Avocado
Best Location
- Full sun
- Well-drained soil
- Good airflow
- In Florida: light afternoon filtering can help reduce stress during peak summer heat
✅ In humid climates, plant on a 2–3 ft mound to improve drainage and prevent root rot.
Avoid
- Standing water
- Compacted clay soils without drainage correction
- Deep shade
- Constant wind exposure
🌱 IMPORTANT: Transplant Timing
- Shipped trees: Allow ~30 days or until fresh growth appears before planting.
- Local pickup trees: May be planted immediately (no transit stress recovery required).
🌱 GreenDreams “High & Tight” Planting Method
Avocados require oxygen at the root zone.
1️⃣ Dig hole slightly wider than container
2️⃣ Do NOT plant deeper than root ball
3️⃣ Set root flare slightly above soil level
4️⃣ Backfill and pack soil firmly
5️⃣ Apply 2–4 inches hardwood mulch (keep off trunk)
6️⃣ Top dress with compost + biochar + azomite
▶️ Watch: https://youtu.be/RRQFY30qdA8?si=rRIcsbLlVAVYotfI
💧 Watering, Feeding & Pruning
Watering
In container:
- Daily during warm weather
In-ground:
- Week 1: daily
- Weeks 2–4: every 2–3 days
- After establishment: deep weekly watering
Drip irrigation preferred.
Fertilizing
- Light, consistent organic feeding
- Compost-based soil building
- Avoid heavy synthetic nitrogen
Pruning ✂️
- Maintain 10–15 ft for easy harvest
- Prune after harvest or before spring flush
- Remove crowded interior growth for airflow
🍃 Seasonal Habits
- Spring: New flush
- Summer: Canopy growth
- Fall: Primary harvest window
- Winter: Slowed growth; protect from frost if needed
🪴 Container Growing
‘Lula’ can be container grown short-term but performs best in-ground.
If container growing:
- 25+ gallon container
- Fast-draining mix
- Annual pruning required
🥑 Culinary Uses
- Fall-season guacamole
- Holiday platters
- Avocado toast
- Slicing for salads and sandwiches
- Creamy spreads and smoothies
‘Lula’ provides reliable autumn harvests that pair perfectly with seasonal dishes.
🌾 Orchard & Layout Strategy
- Space 18–25 ft apart
- Excellent as a late-season anchor tree
- Pair with Type B cultivars (Brogdon, Monroe, Bacon)
🌿 Avocado Comparison Guide
| Cultivar | Type | Cold Tolerance | Harvest (FL) | Growth Habit | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fantastic | A | ~15°F | Jul–Aug | Small | Extreme cold hardy |
| Joey | B | 15–18°F | Aug–Oct | Compact | Texas cold hardy |
| Brogdon | B | ~22°F | Jul–Sep | 20–25 ft | Purple skin |
| Day | A | ~24°F | May–Jul | 12–18 ft | Early + compact |
| Lula | A | ~25°F | Oct–Dec | 20–25 ft | Historic Florida classic |
| Monroe | B | ~26°F | Nov–Feb | 30+ ft | Heavy late harvest |
| Choquette | A | ~28°F | Aug–Nov | 30–50 ft | Massive fruit |
🌎 Regional Recommendations
🧊 Cold Edge (8b–9a): Fantastic • Joey • Brogdon
🌞 Warm Zones (9b–11): Lula • Monroe • Choquette
🪴 Containers: Wurtz • Day
🌟 Is This Plant For Me?
Ideal For:
- Avocado lovers seeking a Florida heritage variety
- Gardeners in zones 9a–11
- Those wanting a dependable late-season harvest
- Orchard planners building staggered production
Not Ideal For:
- Regions with frequent hard freezes below mid-20s°F
- Very small gardens without pruning plans
- Waterlogged soils
🚚 Shipping Notes
- Ships Mondays via UPS Ground from Florida
- Buyer discretion advised during extreme heat/cold
- Best shipping success: Florida, Southeast & Texas
🏡 Local Pickup
GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
Tues–Fri 9–5 | Sat 8–3
🌿 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services
We design, build, and restore ecosystems across Florida.
- Onsite consultations
- Edible landscape installation
- Bulk compost & mulch
- Regenerative farm solutions
🌿 IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS
Please note: Plants purchased through our online store are not available for pickup at our retail nursery in Spring Hill, Florida.
Online inventory is housed at a separate facility and is priced, prepared, and handled exclusively for shipping.
🌱 Looking for larger plants or more selection?
Our retail nursery location offers far more availability, including larger sizes, specialty plants, and many selections not suitable for nationwide shipping.
Local pickup is available for retail nursery purchases only.
Visit our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery page to explore in-person shopping options.
🚚 LIVE PLANT SHIPPING & TRANSIT EXPECTATIONS
Live plants naturally experience stress during shipping. Temporary leaf drop, mild wilting, or cosmetic stress is normal after transit. Most plants recover quickly with proper watering, gradual light exposure, and basic aftercare. Some plants may require additional attention during the first few weeks.
Despite careful packing, minor cosmetic damage may occur during transit. Small issues such as broken leaves or stems typically resolve with time and proper care.
If your shipping box arrives with significant external damage, please contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a carrier claim.
⏱️ SHIPPING METHOD, TIMING & TRANSIT WINDOWS
All online orders ship via UPS Ground from our Central Florida nursery.
📦 Shipping Schedule: Orders ship once weekly on Mondays to reduce the risk of packages sitting in transit over weekends. A countdown clock on our website displays the next shipping date.
🚚 Typical Transit Times:
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Florida: 1–2 days
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Southern U.S.: approximately 2 days
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Midwest, West & Northern U.S.: 3–5 business days
Long-distance shipments, particularly to the western U.S., may experience additional transit time due to agricultural inspections in states such as Arizona, California, and Texas.
Extended transit times can be more challenging for small or tender plants and may require additional recovery care after arrival.
🌡️ EXTREME WEATHER & SEASONAL RISK
Live plants are sensitive to temperature extremes.
We cannot guarantee plant condition during periods of extreme summer heat or winter cold and freezing temperatures. Weather-related delays, carrier interruptions, or exposure during delivery are beyond our control.
Customers are responsible for:
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Monitoring tracking information sent via email
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Retrieving packages promptly upon delivery
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Preventing plants from being left outdoors in extreme conditions
During unsafe weather, holiday shipping volume, or extended transit risk, orders may be held and shipped the following week to protect plant health.
⚠️ CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITY & REFUND POLICY
By purchasing live plants, customers acknowledge and accept the risks associated with shipping, weather exposure, transit delays, and regional suitability.
Refunds or replacements are considered only under exceptional circumstances and in accordance with our return and refund policy. We are not responsible for:
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Weather-related damage
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Carrier delays
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Poor plant selection for a given climate or region
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Improper care after delivery
Upon purchase, customers assume full responsibility for the ongoing care and success of their plants.
✅ CONSENT & AGREEMENT
By completing a purchase, you confirm that you have read, understand, and agree to all shipping policies, responsibilities, and conditions outlined above.
Our goal is transparency, plant health, and long-term growing success — and we appreciate your understanding and care when ordering live plants.
