Hi dclegg!
The correct name of this avocado is Lula. I live on the westside of Jacksonville and have Lula in my back yard for 3 years now. I protected it from freeze just 2 first winters. This past winter I was to busy to cover it and to my delight it has made it on it's own just fine. The tree lost a lot of leaves but the new are already growing. I didn't let my avocado tree to fruit yet, but this spring, I think, it is large enough and some fruit will be left to mature. So far, I'm very happy with Lula.

This post was edited by chara2 on Sun, Mar 24, 13 at 16:49

I thought the same, but the lady at the nursery said they are not the same it is Lila. I think we are just going to go with our first choice Brogdon. We have been told by several people that it will not make it through the winter in 9a zone, but I think we are going to try. Pinetree nursery has them at Home Depot. THanks for your response.

I have a Brodgen that is not mature and 3 winters ago I almost lost it to that week long freeze we had I have since bought a Winter Mexican. It is good down mid 20's Winter Mexican to low 20 and Lila is good down into the teens. Do some research on Opal as it seems to be the same tree as Lila.

Here is a link that might be useful: Avocado varieties at T T

As I read it's one of the most cold-hardy avocado so far....what temperature did you reach during winter?

We had temps near 26 that year for a few nights it was a young tree . The last few years we have not even hit 30 for more than a few hours

Wondering what the outcome was of this. I had a Mexican that died back to the roots here in Pasco county. Still produces decent fruit, just tiny. My Brodgen does very well. Large fruit, loads of it. But now I find myself looking for a tree that might make it in South Alabama. (Dothan area) with minimal winter upkeep.

Mexicola is considered one of the cold hardiest cultivars..

As Lila...

Is Lila Avocado an A or B pollenater?

Lila is self-fruitful and can withstand temps up to 15 degrees F.

I just got a HAAS avocado. I have a very bad track record with avocados. They hate me and die miserable deaths. I saw this one at the nursery the other day and I said, "Are you feeling lucky?" lol.. We'll see how long it takes for me to kill it.

We have Winter Mexican and Brogdon. Both I believe are "B" pollinators but they both have a lot of fruit this year. To my taste, the Winter Mexican seemed to have a higher oil content when I sampled them from mature trees at the nursery. The more elongated ones in the pic are the Winter Mexican.

woah - my Mexican has almost spherical fruit. Now I am wondering if it died back below the graft. The tree is 8 years old now and cant tell where it was grafted. LOL

Barbie~

Outside of tropic area Avocados seem to be self-fertile....and you don't necessary need A & B cultivars..

There are lila AND lula avocados. We have a Lila and it has done great here in Lecanto, Fl (just southwest of Ocala and East of Crystal River Fl. We have had it for 4 years and it has gone through some pretty good cold temperatures here especially year before last. Some of it got singed but that was all. Great and in fact huge amount of avocados. We know someone who has a Lula (different than our Lila) and it has done well for them as well.

I had a Lulu once because it was used as a rootstock for the Brogdon I bought. the Brogdon top died, and I grew out the Lulu. Gave it to a friend when I moved away, and she says it's full of fruit every year. She said it did get frost damage one year (9b), but it came right back out bushier than ever.

I wonder if all Brogdon avocado trees are from LuLu root stock? Thanks, Tony

" Typically, seedlings of 'Lula' and 'Waldin' are used as rootstocks in Florida because of their uniformity, vigor, and availability of seeds." https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg213