Full-sized avocado trees grow to up to 80 feet tall (24 meters) in ideal circumstances. While dwarf avocado trees only reach heights of 8–10 feet tall (2.4–3 meters). Since there is only one variety of dwarf avocado, the overwhelming majority of avocados grow into enormous trees. If you are planting a full-sized avocado, make sure you have plenty of space for the mature tree to grow. You don’t want your ripe avocados falling into your neighbor’s yard at harvest time.
How Big Do Outdoor Avocado Trees Get?
Mature avocado trees generally reach 40–60 feet tall (12–18 meters). However, some have been known to reach up to 80 feet tall (24 meters), but this is rare. A normal avocado tree will reach at least 40 feet (12 meters) in height provided it has the following conditions met:
- A typical avocado tree will grow to 40–60 feet tall (12–18 meters).
- The largest avocado trees reach heights up to 80 feet tall (24 meters).
- Dwarf avocado trees grow to be 8–10 feet tall (2.4–3 meters).
If you care for your avocado tree and provide it with full sun, it is sure to reach the average height or higher. The rule of thumb is that a healthy tree also needs at least 2 inches (5 cm) of water each week. This should result in a crop yield of delicious fruits come avocado harvest time.
How Big Do Indoor Avocado Trees Get?
Dwarf avocado trees grow up to 8–10 feet tall (2.4–3 meters). This is pretty tall for indoor plants but can still safely fit in a wide variety of homes. Dwarf avocados are also the ideal variety for growing avocados in containers. Make sure your avocado plant has a container that is wide enough to support its growth. Gallon containers make for a great starting container for a potted avocado tree.
- Indoor avocados reach 10 feet (3 meters) in height.
- The only known dwarf avocado tree is the Wurtz variety.
When buying a dwarf avocado tree, be sure to purchase the Wurtz variety. This is the only true dwarf variety of avocado tree. It was made by cross-pollination of Guatemalan types and Mexican varieties of avocado. It is sometimes also known as the “Little Cado” avocado plant. Check out our article on how to grow an avocado tree indoors if you want to learn how to care for a dwarf ‘cado.
How Big are the Roots of an Avocado Tree?
Avocado trees have shallow roots that mostly grow in the top 6 inches (15 cm) of the soil surface. They compensate for this shallowness with incredible horizontal growth. Always plant avocado trees at least 15-30 feet away from other trees, cement, or buildings. Otherwise, the feeder roots can spread that far and steal water or crack the pavement.
- Large avocado varieties have a root system that spreads up to 30 feet (9 meters) from the trunk in all directions.
- Full sized avocado trees should be planted at least 30 feet from foundations and paved surfaces.
- Dwarf avocado trees need up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) of horizontal space.
The exception here is the dwarf avocado tree. If grown outside, without a container, the roots can spread up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in width. However, with a container, you can restrict this spread. Most garden centers recommend a container with 24-36 inches (60–90 cm) of width to accommodate your dwarf tree. The container will also need at least 18 inches (45 cm) of depth to make up for the lack of horizontal spread.
What Size Avocado Tree Produces Fruit?
In general, a container plant needs to reach at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) in height before it can bear fruit. An outdoor tree will need to be at least 15 feet tall (4.5 meters) before it begins producing a significant harvest. However, it is important to note that a grafted tree may bear fruit substantially quicker than this. We’ll cover grafting a bit more in the following section.
How Many Years Before an Avocado Tree Produces Avocados?
An avocado tree can take anywhere from 3–10 years to produce avocados. How quickly this will happen depends on your type of avocado tree. If you started from an avocado seed, your tree can take 7–10 years to fruit. Hass varieties will often bear fruit after only 5 years though.
- An avocado tree needs 7–10 years to produce avocados.
- Grafted avocados can begin bearing fruit in as little as 3–4 years.
A grafted tree may fruit in as little as 3–4 years. Grafting involves attaching branches from a mature avocado tree onto the rootstock of a young tree. This speeds up the maturation process. You can also buy nursery avocado trees that are already a few years old in order to get avocados sooner. Buying grafted or juvenile trees will provide you with homegrown avocados much sooner than growing an avocado from seed.
Can You Keep an Avocado Tree Small?
The most effective way to keep an avocado tree small is to grow a dwarf tree. You may be able to stunt the growth of an outdoor avocado plant but this can kill it. If you want to try to stunt your avocado tree’s growth anyway, you can undernourish it in multiple ways. This is called dwarfing and it can be very tricky.
- Only dwarf avocado trees reliably grow to a small but healthy size
- You can stunt your trees growth by doing things like reducing hours of sunlight it gets but it’s a bad idea to deliberately sicken your tree
You can stunt the growth of a full-sized avocado tree if you provide too little water, fertilize irregularly, expose it to harsh winter months, or provide insufficient hours of sunlight. You can also restrict the space in which it grows by using a smaller than recommended container. All of these carry the high risk of making your plant sickly and will likely result in poor fruit. However, if you solely want a small tree for looks and not for ripe avocado, this is one option. We recommend purchasing a dwarf avocado from the start.
What is the Fastest Growing Avocado Tree?
The fastest-growing avocado plant is the Hass avocado, also known as persea americana. This type of avocado tree can go from avocado seedling to fruit-bearing in just 5 years. Additionally, these homegrown avocados are renowned for their flavor and creaminess.
- Hass avocado trees are the types of avocados which grow quickest.
- A Hass avocado tree can bear fruit as little as 5 years after being planted as a seed.
You may also recognize this type of avocado fruit as the one that’s easiest to find in grocery stores. That is because commercial growers recognize the speed and reliability with which Hass avocado trees grow. You may find other avocado varieties that grow just a bit faster but few will beat the Hass.
How Tall Can Avocado Trees Get?
Avocado trees can grow 8-10 feet tall as a dwarf variety or 40-60 feet high as an outdoor variety. Additionally, avocado trees have enormous root systems that can grow 30 feet wide. Here are the key facts about avocado size:
- Outdoor avocados can reach 80 feet (24 meters) in height.
- Indoor avocados can reach 10 (3 meters) feet in height.
- Avocado roots grow up to 30 feet feet wide (9 meters).
- Avocados start bearing fruit when they’re about half their mature height.
- Avocado trees can take anywhere from 3-10 years to bear fruit depending on variety.
- When in doubt, Hass avocado trees usually have the speediest growth.
With enough direct sunlight, water, and fertilizer your avocado will spring to its full height quickly. Make sure to check the adult height of an avocado tree before planting. That little sapling may soon grow into a towering tree.
