The avocado (Persea americana) is a medium-sized, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae), native to the Americas. It is widely cultivated for its large, fleshy fruit.
The tree likely originated in the highland regions of south-central Mexico to Guatemala. Its fruit (called avocado, avocado pear, alligator pear, or colloquially avo) is botanically a large berry containing a single large seed.
Avocado trees are partially self-pollinating, and are often propagated through grafting to maintain predictable fruit quality and quantity.