Vinhático (Madeira mahogany)

Persea indica

A wild cousin of the avocado from the laurel forest, long prized for its reddish furniture wood.

Type: canopy tree · native and wild plants
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: part shade
Size: about 50 ft tall, 25 ft wide
From: Madeira and the Canary Islands
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: wildlife, screens and hedges.

Native to: Atlantic islands (Macaronesia). Hardy in zones 9 to 11.

The story

Vinhático is one of the four great laurels of the Atlantic island forests and a wild relative of the avocado. Its fine, reddish wood was so prized for furniture and ships that it was called Madeira mahogany. Its old leaves turn orange-red before they fall, dotting the green canopy with colour.

Planting

Sun or part shade in deep, moist, well-drained soil, out of the strongest wind. Plant in autumn or winter.

Growing

Steady growth with regular water. Mulch well. It can be kept as a tall evergreen screen with light pruning.

Harvest and use

Grown for shade, shelter and wildlife; pigeons eat the small, olive-like fruit. The fruit is not eaten by people.

What to watch for

Drought and hot, dry wind. Like avocado, it dislikes waterlogged ground.

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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home