Fruit

Persea americana

S tier

Persea americana is the avocado species—large single-seed berries with creamy, oil-rich flesh ranging from mild nutty to grassy depending on race and cultivar. Three ecological races (Mexican, Guatemalan, West Indian) and their hybrids underpin named clones such as Hass and Fuerte. Fruit does not sweeten like dessert fruit; ripeness is softness and aroma, not sugar. Mash for guacamole, slice for toast and salads, or blend into savoury sauces. When a recipe says avocado, it means americana of some market cultivar, almost always Hass in global retail. Never refrigerate rock-hard fruit for long if you want even ripening; finish at room temperature first.