Avocado Question

[Cleo]

Hello All -
I am in a fierce battle with my husband as to what we should plant next to our house (tree-wise) We had a giant oak tree that had rotted (must have been at least 80+ years old, so unfortunately it is not longer there....we did have the root ground up, so we are ready to plant.....I want an orange or avocado-preferably an avocado, whereas he wants a maple or such for shade. (we live near the foothills in CA, near Sacramento, and I know avocado can grow well here.....can someone tell me how FAST avocado trees grow? The big argument w/hubby is that he wants shade quickly, as our summers tend to be quite hot.....I will settle for an orange tree...but we both would like something that grows quickly. Thanks!

[lorax]

If you've got heat, Avocadoes are wicked fast (around 3 feet a year!) and become lovely shade trees.

[cynthia_h]

Most of the region around Sacramento and in the lower foothills is in Sunset climate zone 14. I just looked in my copy of the Sunset Western Garden Book, where 16 varieties of avocado and their requirements are shown, and not one of them is shown as flourishing in Zone 14. (Please note: this is the Sunset zone, not the USDA zone.)

Check with a local, independent nursery before committing to either an avocado *or* an orange tree. Ask whether the roots of either have been known to interfere with sewer pipes; some trees are notorious for invading sewer pipes and blocking things up.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Cleo]

Thanks so much for the replies ( 3 feet a year, wow!!) & the suggestion re: roots. Will definitely check on that. Thanks again!!!