The infamous ‘Jala’ giant avocado is huge – in both popularity and actual size!
While Jala avocados have been stocked in select grocers for about three years, the tree itself has never been available for home gardeners to buy – until now. Jala avocado trees will soon hit store shelves in stores and nurseries in Queensland, but the flurry of interest has been so great, stock on pre-orders is already sold out!
If, like us, you want to get your hands on this tree (to make party-sized bowls of delicious guacamole, of course) then you’ll need to know more about the tree, its best-growing conditions, what it actually tastes like and more.
Luckily, we’ve spoken to Jess Fleming, nursery manager of Fleming’s Nurseries QLD and Rohan Bicknell, managing director of produce trading company Produce Art to find out everything about the origins of the ‘Jala’ avocado, how to grow Jala avocado trees and what its taste and texture profile is like.
What is the ‘Jala’ avocado?
So, what makes Jala avocados so special? This avocado is a giant variety, similar to ‘Avozilla’ and the ‘Large Choquette’ which have been on the Australian market for quite some time.
The ‘Jala’ avocado is the same as any other avocado in flavour and shape, but it’s almost 5 times the size of standard varieties. As you can see from the size comparison below, it is definitely a giant!

The ‘Jala’ came from unusual origins, with creator Lorna Spackman finding an avocado seed left by her late husband Ken. The mysterious seed was planted over 30 years ago on her orchard in Palmwoods, southeast Queensland.
From that, 5 seedlings came up, which were planted and grafted by Lorna Spackman and her neighbour John Mongan. The impressive fruit was then registered under the name ‘Jala’, which Jess Fleming explained was a combination of JAck and LornA.
The perfect avo taste, just in giant form
Is it quantity over quality? Avocado experts say no!
Rohan has given the flavour profile of the ‘Jala’ a lot of thought, and he thinks it’s somewhere between a Hass and a Shepard avocado. Jess, on the other hand describes the taste of the Jala avocado as “extremely creamy, buttery and smooth.”
For Jess, It’s the consistency of the fruit that’s so astounding. For Rohan, it’s the flesh-to-seed ratio that’s the most impressive.

You may be thinking, it’s too big to use in one go! There’s no need to worry about storing this avocado away in the fridge.
Both Rohan and Jess have assured us that the ‘Jala’ has exceptional oxidization rates, and can last in the fridge for up to 7 days. The skin, however, is a bit delicate and may show signs of decay, says Jess, but the flesh itself will stay in tip-top shape!
Rohan says that while a classic guacamole works wonders with the ‘Jala’, his favourite way to enjoy it is actually in an avo milkshake! He recommends looking up a recipe for ‘Jus Apukat’, one of the national drinks of Indonesia, which he believes is “something Aussies should start enjoying, as they are amazing!”
Try it yourself
If you want to purchase a ‘Jala’ avocado to taste yourself, you’ll have to hit up an independent grocer, like Produce Art.
It has since become available in a few grocers and fruit stores around Queensland, with very positive responses from customers. Rohan says his favourite customer interaction with the ‘Jala’ is when they compare the fruit to the size of their own head.

Growing your own ‘Jala’ avocado tree
Jess Fleming from Fleming’s Nursery has given us all the info about growing your own ‘Jala’ tree yourself. The tree is currently up for purchase for both home gardeners and commercial growers, however, stocks are limited. The tree is still on pre-order at many retail nurseries, and most of them have already sold out!
For commercial farmers, you can head straight to Fleming’s Nurseries QLD, as they are the exclusive propagator of the tree. For home gardeners, stock is available for pre-order at local garden centres and nurseries, and will be on sale in early September. The tree is currently only being sold in QLD due to stock limitations. Other states should be able to get their own ‘Jala’ tree in March 2025.

How to grow a ‘Jala’ avocado
Jess Fleming says that the ‘Jala’ avo tree can grow to around 7 x 5m, depending on the soil and conditions. Because this variety is so new to the market, it hasn’t yet been tested in different climates, soil types or growing conditions. This means that if you purchase this tree for your own growing, your results may be different to others.
In any case, here are the growing conditions that we do know are effective, and will give you beautiful big avocados after 2-3 years of growth.
Growing ‘Jala’ avocados at a glance
- When to plant: Any time of the year.
- Climate: Best suited towards tropical and hotter temperatures. Cooler climates are yet to be tested but should fare well (apart from frost).
- Aspect/positioning: In a sunny position that is protected from frost and harsh winds.
- Water: Moderate watering
- Soil type: Requires good drainage. Should be planted on a mound so excess water can easily drain away
- Blooms/Harvest: Depends on the growing area. For southeast Queensland, the optimal picking time is from July to August. The tree may be susceptible to bi-annual bearing.
- Maintenance: Protect the shallow roots in Winter and Summer, with mulch around the base of the tree. (not up against the trunk though)