The Oro Negro avocado tree grows large, glossy fruit with skin that turns black as it matures. It looks nothing like the bright green avocados most people recognize, and it comes off the tree in the cooler months of the year.

All About the Oro Negro Avocado Variety

Oro Negro means "black gold" in Spanish. It's a Florida variety that came out of the Miami-Dade County area, where most of the state's commercial avocados are grown, and some Florida counties recommend it for home landscapes.

The fruit is large and creamy, and the skin turns black as the avocado matures. That dark skin gives the tree its "black avocado" nickname and sets it apart from the bright green varieties common across South Florida. Maria Black and Black Princess are other black skin varieties that grow much like the Oro Negro avocado tree. The planting, watering and feeding steps below work for either tree.

Avocados have been grown in Florida for over 100 years, and the state has close to 500 varieties, with about 25 of them considered major ones. Many are crosses between the three main avocado types, which are West Indian, Guatemalan and Mexican.

Florida avocados mature anywhere from June to March, and Oro Negro lands at the late end of that window, with fruit coming in from November through January. Planting it alongside an earlier variety stretches your harvest across more of the year.

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How to Grow Black Avocado Tree

Give your Oro Negro full sun and well-drained soil, and plant it 23 to 30 feet or more from buildings and other trees. Crowding can lead to shade and poor fruiting along with other problems. Avoid any spot that floods or stays soggy after a summer rain. If your yard holds water, you can plant on a mound of native soil about 2 to 3 feet high.

Dig your hole wider than the container and set the tree so the first flare of roots sits at or just above ground level. Fill the hole with the native soil but leave out the fertilizer, topsoil and compost. Water the tree when you plant it and every other day for the first week.

For the first three years, water twice a week during dry spells of five days or more, and ease off once the rainy season starts. Feed young trees lightly every month or two during the first year, then three or four times a year after that.

In Florida, avocado flowers can pollinate themselves, and bees and wasps can also carry pollen between different varieties. A grafted tree usually starts producing after three to four years.

Avocados do best in the warmest parts of the state, and Oro Negro is moderately cold-tolerant. Mature trees generally start taking damage somewhere between 25 and 30°F, and young trees are more vulnerable. Plant yours in the warmest part of the yard, and cover young trees when a freeze is in the forecast.

An avocado tree can top 30 feet, but you can keep it to 12 to 15 feet with yearly pruning. Always wait until the danger of frost has passed before pruning a black avocado tree.

Harvesting

Oro Negro fruit matures from November through January. Avocados don't ripen on the tree, so the fruit stays firm until you pick it.

Pick one of the larger fruit first and set it on the counter. A mature avocado softens in 3 to 8 days. If it shrivels or turns rubbery, leave the rest on the tree a little longer and test another one later.

When harvesting avocados, you don't have to pick everything at once. Fruit can hang on the tree for a bit, but the longer it stays past its harvest window, the more likely it is to drop. Let picked fruit ripen at room temperature, between 60 and 75°F, and move it to the fridge once it's soft. Unripe fruit can be damaged by cold storage.

Common Pests and Problems

There are a few pests and diseases that can affect avocado trees, and this variety is no different. Laurel wilt is a serious disease spread by ambrosia beetles. Early signs include green leaves that wilt, followed by brown, dried leaves and dieback in stems and limbs. It can kill a tree in as few as three weeks, so contact your local extension office right away if you suspect it.

Root rot can develop in soggy or flooded ground. Watch for pale, wilted leaves and dying branch tips. Avoid areas that stay wet to help reduce the risk, and if your yard holds water, planting on a mound of native soil can help.

Avocado lace bugs and scale are common pests that can damage leaves and fruit. Lace bugs are tiny black specks on the underside of leaves, and they leave brown patches on the top. Shake a branch over a sheet of white paper to spot them. A strong spray of water from the hose knocks light infestations off, and insecticidal soap or horticultural oil works when sprayed directly on the bugs. Scale shows up as small bumps on leaves and stems, often with sticky residue or black sooty mold. Prune off badly infested leaves and spray with horticultural oil during cooler weather. Skip oil sprays on days above 90°F, and follow the label every time.

Fruit drop is common too. Fewer than 1% of avocado flowers turn into fruit, and some varieties set plenty only to drop most of it in early summer. Keep the water steady from bloom through fruit development, since drought stress can hurt the crop.

Avocado limbs are brittle, and strong wind or a heavy crop can snap them. Plant where a fallen limb won't land on a shed or power line.

Keep an eye out for these problems.

• Laurel wilt causes wilting green leaves, then brown, dried leaves and dieback. Call your extension office right away.
• Root rot shows up as pale, wilted leaves and dying branch tips in soggy ground.
• Lace bugs and scale damage leaves and fruit, so check the tree regularly.
• Fruit drop is common, and steady water through bloom and fruit growth helps the crop.
• Brittle limbs can break in strong wind or under a heavy crop.

Plant Your Own Black Gold

Our nursery in Homestead, Florida, grows grafted Oro Negro and Maria Black avocado trees. Once one is settled in a sunny, well-drained spot, you can look forward to dark, creamy avocados in late fall and winter after a few years of growth. A few seasons from now, you could be slicing open your own black avocados.

Frequently Asked Questions

When Is Oro Negro Avocado Season?

Fruit matures from November through January.

Can an Oro Negro Avocado Tree Handle Cold Weather?

It's moderately cold-tolerant, and mature trees generally start taking damage between 25 and 30°F. Young trees are more vulnerable, so cover them when a freeze is in the forecast.

Do I Need Two Avocado Trees to Get Fruit?

Not necessarily. Avocado flowers can pollinate themselves in Florida, though a second variety nearby lets bees and wasps cross-pollinate and extends your harvest season.

What Does a Maria Black Avocado Look Like?

The fruit has black skin and creamy flesh, much like Oro Negro.

How Is Maria Black Different From Black Princess?

Maria Black has black skin. Black Princess stays green, though its fruit is creamy too.

References

Avocado Growing in the Florida Home Landscape. UF/IFAS Extension.

https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG213

Growing Alligator Pears. UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County.

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/manateeco/2022/02/08/the-alligator-pear/

Recommendations for the Detection and Mitigation of Laurel Wilt Disease in Avocado and Related Tree Species in the Home Landscape. UF/IFAS Extension.

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1358

Tropical Fruit: Avocado. UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County.

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/miamidadeco/2021/05/25/tropical-fruit-avocado/

Avocado. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions.

Avocado Lace Bug. UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County.