[ars]

And couldn't a new world monkey simply carry the avocado somewhere else to eat it?

Does it have to pass through the gut?

[hombre_fatal]

I had an avocado tree in the backyard growing up and the avocados would fall and grow new plants.

The next avocado you eat, leave it in an inch of water and it will sprout in a couple weeks, splitting in half to extend roots and a small canopy.

Had I not had to weed the backyard as a kid during avocado season, the plants would've kept growing from fallen avocados. They have these massive yolks that let them grow pretty much anywhere, as long as they find their way to some soil after a while.

I'm sure megafauna gave them a nice travel system.

[martin-adams]

We took an avocado seed left over from one from the fridge, and grew it. It's now about 1.5m tall.

[dehrmann]

I've seen squirrels carry them to eat later (it's a ridiculous sight), but humans imported both the squirrels and avocados here (the Bay Area).

[zaarn]

Squirrels will carry and eat pretty much anything (rats of thre trees) including avocadoes, apples, small melons, compost, other squirrels and dead birds. If they can move it, they eat it. Plus points if it can be burried for winter.

[dehrmann]

Now that you mention it, a squirrel also stole a melon I was growing.

[fouc]

An invasive species carrying an invasive species.

[dsfyu404ed]

Observed by an invasive species.

[EForEndeavour]

All species are invasive if you go back far enough.

[dsfyu404ed]

I'm seeing the beginnings of standup routine that literally everyone in California will find offensive. I'm having trouble fleshing out the details though.

[fouc]

Offensively invasive or Invasively offensive? Good luck!

[__HYde]

In what sense did humans import squirrels to the bay area?

[dehrmann]

I'm actually not sure if cities in the bay area did, but lots of other cities did: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/uptown-squirrel/

[__HYde]

Thanks for sharing this. That article is very interesting. I only thought about the fact that squirrels were a native species and didn't consider the fact that cities are not "natural".

[ulises314]

Avocado is a perfectly North American plant.

[dehrmann]

Not this far north.

[senorjazz]

No, our compost hole in the garden has about 10+ small avocado trees growing from it and around when the chickens disturb it.

Tend to see them sprout up best after sustained rain, temps 25c-30c in the shade

[HillaryBriss]

you're right. it doesn't. i've seen pits that have germinated and taken root all by themselves in the leaf litter below an avocado tree.