When do avocados usually ripen?

Avocados are mainly divided into three major groups: Mexican, Guatemalan and West Indian. Their cultivation history is less than 100 years, but they have already been widely planted in the tropics and subtropics, with the most cultivation in the United States, Guatemala, Mexico and Cuba. They are named avocados because the flesh tastes very much like butter, and because the skin is rough like crocodile skin, they are also called crocodile fruit or alligator pear. Now let us take a look at when avocados ripen!

Where are avocados produced?

Avocados originated in Mexico and Central America, and were later widely planted in California, so California became the world's largest avocado producing area. They are planted in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, but are grown most in the southern United States, Guatemala, Mexico and Cuba, and have formed three major groups: the Mexican system, the Guatemalan system and the West Indian system. In China, Guangdong, Hainan, Fujian, Guangxi, Taiwan, China, Yunnan and Sichuan and other places all have a small amount of cultivation.

When do avocados ripen?

In southern China, avocados bloom in March and the fruit ripens from August to September. They generally bear fruit after 3 to 4 years of planting. Avocado is a fleshy drupe. When ripe, the skin ranges from yellow-green, reddish-brown to brown. The fruit is 5 to 20 cm long and 3 to 14 cm in diameter. After ripening, the skin becomes yellow-green, milky yellow, brown or dark green. The flesh is slightly soft, and the flesh color is milky white, pale yellow or milky yellow. The texture is extremely delicate, with an egg-yolk flavor and slight sweetness. A single fruit weighs 150 to 1500 grams.

How are avocados stored for a long time?

1. Judging ripeness: When an avocado is unripe, its skin is bright green. If left to sit, it can gradually ripen and the skin gradually turns black. When fully ripe, the skin turns ink-black and feels somewhat soft when squeezed. At this point it can be eaten. Do not cut open or eat unripe avocados; if they are not ripe, they cannot be eaten.

2. Storage duration: The storage time of avocados varies according to the ripeness of the fruit and the storage environment. Specifically, it can be judged according to the standards for judging ripeness. Be careful not to leave them too long and let them spoil without noticing.

3. Room-temperature storage: Avocados that are not very ripe will naturally ripen after being left at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, while unripe avocados can be left for 5 to 7 days.

4. Refrigerated preservation: The best refrigeration temperature is 4 to 8°C, and it must not be lower than 4°C to avoid cold damage. Depending on the degree of ripeness, the refrigeration time is generally 5 to 10 days.

5. Storage after cutting: After an avocado is cut open, the flesh is exposed to air and easily turns black. If only half is used at a time, be sure to keep the half with the pit, do not remove the pit, sprinkle with lemon juice, wrap it well with plastic wrap, and put it in the refrigerator.