Florida Haas

The Florida Haas, often marketed with the “Ooh La La” moniker, is a relatively new avocado variety developed in Florida that aims to offer a Haas-like experience while being better suited to Florida’s climate.

1. The Challenge with Traditional Haas in Florida:

• Climate Sensitivity: The original Hass avocado thrives in drier, Mediterranean-like climates. Florida’s humid, subtropical environment can lead to issues with disease and inconsistent fruit production for traditional Hass.
• Need for a Florida-Adapted Haas: The goal of the Florida Haas is to provide a more reliable and successful “Hass-like” avocado that performs well in Florida. 

2. Characteristics of the Florida Haas (“Ooh La La”):

• Fruit: The Florida Haas produces a medium-sized fruit, similar in size to a standard Haas, with a pear or oval shape.
• Skin: The skin is thick and black, similar to the traditional Haas, but with a more pebbly texture.
• Flesh: The flesh is creamy, pale green, and has a rich, nutty flavor that’s often compared to the original Hass.
• Disease Resistance: One of the main advantages of the Florida Haas is its improved resistance to common avocado diseases found in Florida, such as laurel wilt.
• Harvest Season: It typically ripens in the late summer and fall. 

3. Tree Characteristics:

• Cold Hardiness: While not as cold-hardy as some other Florida avocados, the Florida Haas is considered to be relatively cold-hardy for a Haas-type avocado, tolerating temperatures down to around 30°F.
• Growth Habit: The tree has a vigorous growth habit.
• Productivity: It’s considered to be a good producer, offering more consistent yields than traditional Haas in Florida. 

4. Growing Information:

• Climate: It’s well-suited for Florida’s subtropical climate.
• Soil: Requires well-drained soil.
• Sunlight: Prefers full sun.
• Pollination: The Florida Haas is a Type A avocado, meaning it flowers as a female in the morning and as a male in the afternoon. To ensure good pollination and fruiting, consider planting it with a Type B avocado variety if not growing in Florida.

In summary, the Florida Haas (“Ooh La La”) offers a promising alternative to the traditional Haas avocado for Florida growers, offering improved disease resistance, more consistent production, and a similar taste and texture that consumers love. However, it’s still a relatively new variety, and ongoing research and observations are important to fully assess its long-term performance.