USPP969P - Avocado tree - Google Patents

Description

July 25, 1950' I K, RUSTERHOLZ Plant Pat. 969

AVOCADO TREE Filed March 24, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

M THEE/IVE l/mA/Eusrflwmz I an Patented July 25, 950

Plant Pat. 969

i AvocADo TREE KatherineLillian Rusterholz, Whittier, Calif.

Application March 24, 1949, Serial No.8'31262 I p p 1 Claim. (01.4742) 1 c 1 discovery relates to a new and distinct avocado tree which is an improvement over previouslyknown varieties and which stands'frost'.

very well and produces excellent fruit.

"The original tree is a seedling of unknown parentage Lyonseeds were available to the planter and as the tree and fruit have some characteristics of'the Lyon, it is possible that the tree grew froma Lyon seed. The parent seed'wasj planted during the year 1924 on the south side of the house which islocated at 326 South Bright Avenue, 'Whittier, California.

The tree bears a good, .medium size, winter maturing fruit which is available when good avocado fruits are scarce. The tree has good growth habits and the general appearance of the fruit is excellent. The fruit has almost no neck and it is practically free from fibre. The fruit keeps in excellent manner and there is no internal rotting prior to full ripening of the fruit.

The characteristics of the tree and fruit vary slightly under various conditions of climate, moisture, topography, soil and care, but the desirable characteristics are present under all growing conditions.

This new variety has been successfully asexually reproduced by budding, with the employment of thin skinned Mexican seedlings as root stock at 326 Bright Avenue, Whittier, California.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an avocado fruit, showing the button and embodying the characteristics of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a central, sectional view through a fruit with the button removed, and

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing a branch with leaves, stem and a fruit.

The tree Growth habits: The tree is tall, more upright than spreading, and is quite uniform in general appearance. The tree became so high it had to be topped and at the present time is about thirty feet high and has a circumference of approximately 45 inches. The tree has a good subterranean root system. The tree is characterized by rapid growth of the budded stock.

Bearing habits: The fruit crop is medium heavy and in someyears there is a tendency towards overbearing. There is no premature dropping of fruit.

Hardiness: The tree stands cold weather very well. During the unusually cold winter of I 1948-49 th'eparent tree did not show frostbite although a Fuerte tree growing alongside'the parent tree and exposed in a similar manner was badly frostbitten.

Maturity: My original tree fruited at 7 years from the time of planting the seed. Budded trees come intob'eari'ng at an earlyagej 7 Blossoming: The present avocado st'artsto bloss'om' in February. The blossoms appear in small bunches which are evenly distributed.

Fruit placement: The fruit is well distributed about the tree. The fruit hangs pendant on long, light green stems which vary in length usually from 6 to 8 inches and with many pairs of fruits on a single stem.

Ripening date: The fruit matures from about November 15 to January 15.

Foliage:

Quantity.--Abundant, with very light drop during blooming season.

C'0Zor.-The mature leaves are waved or rippled along the edges and are light green in color, being somewhat lighter in shade than the Fuerte. The lower surface is of a lighter shade of green than the upper surface.

Size-From 8 to 10 inches long and with a width of about 4 inches.

Shape.Normal.

Texture and veinzng.-The principeT'Teaf Veins are quite pronounced while minor veins are less distinct, and the leaf as a whole is smooth and not puckered. The upper surface of the leaves is smooth but not glossy. The leaves have from 7 to 10 ribs, with the mid rib of many of the leaves relatively straight where the growth of the leaf has not been obstructed.

Distribution.The leaves are well distributed over the tree and afiord fruit protection.

The fruit Weight: The weight of the fruit is from 8 ounces to a pound, the average weight being about 11 ounces when mature.

Shape: The fruit is of oval shape, slightly tending to pyriform. A characteristic of some of the fruit on each tree is that at the stem end at one side of the button there is an area which is almost plane in contour. This plane or blunt portion is characteristic and the pitch of the plane of this blunt portion is often almost perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fruit, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, or the blunt portion may be inclined at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the fruit as shown in Fig. 3.

Skin: The color of the fruit is common to that of the Guatemalan, being dark, glossy green when mature n the tree. The skin of the picked fruit gradually turns to a mixed purple and green and then dark purple. The surface spots are a light brown and are small in size and medium in number.

Aspect: Smooth and glossy.

Texture: "The skin of the fruit is'thin for a Guatemalan and is strong, rather tough but pliant, so that the fruit is well protected and the shipping qualities are excellent. Theqskin is without blemish or defects. The skin does not scab or crack.

Button: The button is large and. the line of division between the button and stem is not particularly noticeable nor is the button cavity, which is usually disposed slightly at one side mfathellons tudinal axis o th fr tflar Th :buttonisfirmly attached to the stemlandthe ste m attachment-t0 the tree is;strong so-that high winds do not displaceathe fruit.

Elesh .'fCOZp1...- The fleshisaaslight green color.

Flaoor.'The fla'vor is -mi1d,:similar to the :Euerte.

fllert-urer-Theflesh is of butter-likeoonsistguomwith-practically no fibre content. nQiiuc n n r ry h has rich-as the Fuerte.

Size-The average seed weighs about 1 ounces and the seed is small for the size of the fruit.

Texture-The surface of the seed is smooth and-the seed is hard.

Seed'coatiihe seed coat is smooth, brown and relatively thick and adheres tightly to the seed.

,Separability.The arrangement of the seed in the fruit and the relative size of the twois such'that when the seed is removed the. seed-coat nearly always is withdrawn with the seed, but occasionally some of the .seed coat remains in the cavity. The seed is tight in the seed cavity.

Hz (h1g5 thus described .my inv on, :1 whim: The-new .anddistinct variety of avocadolt iee substantially as herein shown'and describeddistinguished asrto novelty by its winter ripening, medium-largesized fruits of purple color when fully matured, having a skin which is thin ione Guatemalan type and pliant, with the fruit hQme on medium length stems, with a medium-sized, tight :seed and with creamy coloredfiesh which isi vmoothmwith practically no fibre and-which has.-:a ,butter.-1ik e consistency.

KATHERINELILLIAN RUSTERHQLZ.

gNoreferences cited.

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