Don Gillogly Avocados
Estimated Inventory, lb : 11.00
This item was last sold on : 04/27/25
Description/Taste
Don Gillogly avocados vary in size and shape, depending on growing conditions, and can grow to as long as seventeen centimeters in length and seven centimeters in diameter. The variety typically weighs 311 to 396 grams and can appear in round, oblong, or pyriform shapes. Some Don Gillogly avocados showcase an elongated, slender neck, giving them a tear-drop-like look. These long fruits can also grow straight or slightly crooked, giving them a distinct aesthetic. The skin is thick, semi-smooth, and somewhat glossy, covered in tiny, raised bumps, giving it a pebbly feel. The skin also ripens from green with yellow dots to black with faint green dots. Don Gillogly avocados can be easily peeled. The pale yellow-green flesh is known for its oil content, creating a dense, soft, creamy, and buttery consistency. The variety may have a few fine fibers in the flesh and is slow to brown once exposed to the air. The seed enveloped in the center of the fruit has an ovoid shape and is hard, dark brown, and smooth. Don Gillogly avocados are edible raw once ripe and have a rich, earthy, nutty, and savory taste. The variety is known for having a pleasant flavor and contains no bitter or sharp aftertastes.
Seasons/Availability
Don Gillogly avocados are available in the spring and again in the fall. The trees bloom twice a year in March and August, and fruit crops follow shortly after.
Current Facts
Don Gillogly avocados, botanically classified as Persea americana, are an American variety belonging to the Lauraceae family. The cultivar is a Hass seedling that arose from a garden in Southern California. Don Gillogly avocados are named after the man who first grew the seedling and were selected as a commercial cultivar for their distinct, sometimes elongated shape and rich flavor. The variety is a dwarf tree reaching around four meters in height and is hardy and vigorous, producing large quantities of fruit in relation to its size. Don Gillogly avocados are not commercially grown for retail markets due to the fruit’s shelf life and inability to travel long distances without damage, but it is a popular tree for home gardens. Don Gillogly avocados are sought by avocado enthusiasts for use in culinary preparations. The variety has a neutral flavor, allowing it to be used in a wide array of raw and fresh preparations.
Nutritional Value
Don Gillogly avocados have not been studied for their nutritional properties. The variety is a seedling of Hass avocados, which contain health-beneficial minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. Potassium balances fluid levels within the body, magnesium helps control daily nerve functions, while calcium and phosphorus support bone and teeth health. Avocados also provide other minerals, including iron, zinc, copper, and manganese, and fiber to regulate the digestive tract. Vitamins such as A, C, E, and K found in avocados help the body maintain healthy organ functioning, strengthen the immune system, aid in faster wound healing, and guard the cells against free radical damage. Beyond vitamins and minerals, avocados are topically used in hair and face masks to nourish, reduce inflammation, and provide hydration.
Applications
Don Gillogly avocados have a rich, nutty, subtly sweet, and earthy taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. It is said that the variety has a softer consistency compared to Hass avocados, making them a choice type for mashed or spreadable preparations rather than recipes that require the fruits to hold their shape. Don Gillogly avocados can be blended into salad dressings, especially green goddess, or added to dips like hummus and guacamole. The flesh can be roughly mashed into a salsa-like condiment with tomatoes, onions, garlic, spices, and corn or slathered on sandwiches and burgers. Try using Don Gillogly avocados for avocado toast. The variety’s soft flesh will easily stick to the toasted bread, and its rich flavor complements other toppings like parmesan cheese, hot sauce, herbs, or seasonings. While less common, Don Gillogly avocados can be blended into smoothies or chilled soups. Softer avocados can be mashed and whisked into scrambled eggs, incorporated into pasta sauces, or fried into fritters. They can also be used for sweet dishes like brownies, pudding, mousse, pancakes, and icing. Don Gillogly avocados pair well with herbs like chives, parsley, and cilantro, aromatics including onions, garlic, and ginger, nuts such as cashews, almonds, and walnuts, and fruits including bananas, blueberries, and apples. Avocados should be ripened at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. It is recommended to immediately consume ripe fruits for the best quality and flavor. Once ripe, avocados generally last a few days in the fridge. Opened avocados should be covered with lemon juice and tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Don Gillogly avocados are an example of the genetic diversity that can occur when avocado trees are grown from seeds. Within Don Gillogly’s history, a Hass avocado seed was initially used for the planting, but when the tree matured and began fruiting, it produced unusually shaped fruits with softer flesh. This led the seedling to be considered a separate variety from Hass, even though the original seed planted was Hass. Avocado seeds are known for their heterozygosity, meaning each seed contains genetic variability. This variability can sometimes produce fruits similar to the seed parent, while other seeds may express different genetic traits, creating an entirely new type. The only way to create a copy of a specific avocado variety is through grafting. Despite this uncertainty with seed growing, several commercial avocado varieties were developed through seed plantings, including Reed, Fuerte, Hass, and Gwen.
Geography/History
Don Gillogly avocados are native to the United States and were first grown in La Jolla, a coastal community in San Diego, California. The variety was developed from a Hass avocado seed that was planted and allowed to bear fruit in the late 20th century. Don Gillogly avocados were grown in the garden of a man named Don Gillogly, and the variety was selected in 1991. 1992 the variety was grafted on select rootstocks and eventually released as a home garden cultivar. Hass avocados are believed to be a hybrid of Mexican and Guatemalan types, two of the three races of avocados, and are said to be thirty-nine percent Guatemalan and sixty-one percent Mexican. While the exact genetic makeup of Don Gillogly is unknown, it is hypothesized that the variety has the same races within its history. Don Gillogly avocados were submitted for a United States Plant Patent in 1997 and were granted a patent in 1999 under USPP# 11,057. The patent later expired in 2017 and has been abandoned. Today, Don Gillogly avocados are sold throughout the United States as a specialty home garden variety. They are mainly grown throughout California. The variety may also be found in home gardens worldwide.
Latest in season fruits and vegetables posted from the Specialty Produce App
