Persea americana, an indoor avocado tree

The avocado tree, in Latin Persea americana, belongs to the same family as yellow Laurel: the Lauraceae. But it's not a Mediterranean species. It grows in the forests of Mexico and Central America. In our latitudes, it is cultivated as an ornamental plant.

Persea americana is a fruit tree with a spreading habit. In the wild, it reaches 20 meters in height. In pots and indoors, it grows to no more than two meters.

The highly branched trunk changes appearance over time. When young, the stem is supple and green. As the tree ages, it lignifies and its bark turns gray.

The elliptical, acuminate leaves measure up to 30 centimetres long and 15 centimetres wide. Blades are leathery and strongly veined. The shiny, dark-green upper surface features white veins. The underside is gray or white. The avocado tree remains evergreen and appears to be evergreen. In reality, the leaves are renewed every year. Once the tree has produced new limbs, the older ones fall off.

Persea americana flowers in early summer. It is then adorned with star-shaped clusters of pale-green, lightly scented flowers.

But only one flower in 1,000 gives birth to an avocado. The green, pear-shaped fruit is covered with a dark green, violet or black rind. It contains an oleaginous pulp and a conical white seed, protected by a brown shell.

Avocados are highly prized for their taste and nutritional properties. But only humans can taste it. The leaves and fruit of Persea americana are toxic to animals. They contain persin, a substance that causes digestive problems. It can even lead to death if eaten in large quantities. Some people are also allergic to it.