# Avocado/Avocadon't?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avocado-avocadont/303375>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 11, 2005, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avocado-avocadont/303375 "2005-05-11T12:45:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avocado-avocadont/303375/1 "2005-05-11T12:45:32Z")

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I have just managed to hatch an avocado stone; a healthy red stalk has emerged from the huge seed after weeks of waiting and watering on the top of my radiator.

What troubles me is that I have read in ‘The Pip Book’ that when the stalk reaches 6 inches, I should lop off the top, with all its budding foliage, to prevent it growing into a tree, keeping it houseplant size.

My question is whether this is really a good idea. The last thing I want to do is murder my firstborn by decapitation, as it were…

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**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avocado-avocadont/303375/2 "2005-05-12T22:36:48Z")

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If there are leaves below where you cut it, it should begin to branch. However, avocados are usually pretty big trees, unless they are a dwarf variety (They can get to 80 feet). They’re also fast growers as well. The best types to grow in containers are dwarf types.

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**Author:** ![Tom\_Carroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tom\_Carroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Carroll)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avocado-avocadont/303375/3 "2005-05-13T00:51:11Z")

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Avocado’s taste very good. It’s it a California or Florida avacado? Is it in water with the tooth picks?

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**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avocado-avocadont/303375/4 "2005-05-13T09:09:02Z")

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> [@Tom Carroll](#):
>
> Avocado’s taste very good. It’s it a California or Florida avacado? Is it in water with the tooth picks?

To be honest, I find avocado flesh a bit strange and waxy for my liking; I just wanted to grow one. As for the origin, I have no idea - would avocados bought in England come from Usa? And I decided to grow it in wet soil on my radiator in a plastic bag, having seen my flat-mate’s tooth-picked one shrivel to resemble the Emperor’s head.

And thanks **Doobieous** - there were some tiny little sproutings further down the stem - I chopped the top off this morning, assuming nobody would respond to this thread…so cheers 🙂

I’m just hoping it is a dwarf version, as I don’t want some sort of ‘Jumanji’-style overgrowth problem in my house, for fear of Robin Williams popping up ☹ .