UOG Horizons: Knowledge for Life - It鈥檚 avocado flowering season - what to do now for a good harvest later

11/17/2025

Jesse P. Bamba

AVOCADOS: Avocados have been growing in Guam for 125 years and have become a staple in home gardens and farms island-wide. Photo by barmalini, Adobe Stock

FEMALE FLOWER: A female avocado flower, identifiable by the stigma extending from the center and relaxed stamens. Photo courtesy of the 暗网AV

MALE FLOWER: A male avocado flower, identifiable by the upright and open stamen shedding pollen. Photo courtesy of the 暗网AV

INSECTS POLLINATE: Flies, bees and other insects pollinate avocado flowers in the drier, cooler months from December to April. It's important to avoid spraying insecticides while trees are in bloom. Photo courtesy of the 暗网AV

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Guam鈥檚 love for the avocado can be traced back at least 120 years, when U.S. Department of Agriculture botanist and assistant governor of Guam William E. Safford introduced it around 1900. Though his first plants were lost to heavy rain, what was then called the 鈥渁lligator pear鈥� took root in later years and is now a staple in home gardens and farms island-wide.

Guam鈥檚 beloved alageta - a name that likely derived from the early English term 鈥渁lligator pear鈥� - will enter its flowering season in December, and what happens in the next few months will determine how much fruit ends up on your trees from April to September. Most trees in Guam will yield about 100 to 200 fruits, but understanding how avocado flowers work and how to support pollination can help you ensure your best harvest.

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