Avocado

Scientific name: Persea americana Mill 

The Avocado tree of the Lauraceae family, is native to America and is cultivated from Ecuador to the Mediterranean climate. 

It has different names depending on the country where it grows:

Avocado, Avocado Pear, Pear Alligato in Florida. Xinene in Mexico, Palta in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Cure in Colombia. Abacateiro in Brazil.

Also known by: Ahuacate, Avocado oloroso, Aguacatillo, Cupanda, Pathualt, Pagua, Tanalahuate.

Description

The avocado is a leafy tree up to 20 feet high with a trunk diameter of 60 cm, with alternate and elliptical leaves and small flowers. The fruit is a drupe (fleshy fruit with seeds inside), greenish and thin skin whose taste reminiscent of walnut, has a very oily pulp, commonly used as food.

The avocado is attributed medicinal properties such as antitussive, cholagogue and flu remedy.

Avocado seed oil contains a compound for 80% of unsaturated fatty acids that can replace the olive, with a high content of vitamin E and B complex, giving the softening of the skin which makes it useful in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry. It has regenerative effect in the connective tissue.

The avocado is grown mostly in California, Florida, Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, Antilles, Brazil and Spain. In Cuba on a wild tree abundant in household courtyards. 

The main part used for obtaining avocado oil is fruit mesocarp. In Latin America use the leaves, the epicarp (skin of the fruit, peel or rind) and seeds in different uses.