Typically, it takes around 10 avocados to make guacamole for 20 people. But the Pokini family would tell you otherwise – that’s because they were able to grow a 5.6-pound avocado in their home, and it was recently hailed as the world’s heaviest by the Guinness World Records!
They beat the previous record held by Felicidad Pasalo from Hilo, Hawaii, who was able to grow a 5.5-pound avocado. The family applied for the recognition in December 2018.
“We were excited,” Juliane Pokini said. “But at the same time, we were like, finally. It was such a long wait.”
In the first half of 2018, they entered a 5.7-pound avocado from the same tree. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to comply with the requirements, so their initial application was rejected. The proper verification involved a certified horticulturalist, two witnesses who must fill out forms, a state-certified scale, photographs, video, and other documentation.
But the Pokini family wasn’t one to quit.
“We just keep going,” Mark Pokini said, laughing. “Imua!”
After the first rejection, the family learned that they must gather a team and the right tools ahead of time. Knowing that their tree had a history of big fruit, the family observed one avocado in particular, thinking that it was the “close contender.”
They waited for three months before Guinness accepted their application. After that, they sent in evidence of the record they were trying to defeat. They waited another three months to hear back from the organization.
It was an arduous process, but the 10-month wait for the avocado to reach its maximum size was all worth it now that their fruit has become a world record holder!
She said they got the seed to plant their tree, believed to produce Reed variety avocados, from her brother-in-law who had taken it from his parents’ avocado tree in Kailua, Oahu which is about 50 years old.
Mark planted it when their son, Loihi, was born. It started its life in a pot in their previous home in Omaopio and was pulled out by Loihi a couple of times and replanted. They thought the tree would die, but it proved to be a survivor.
“While it was still in the pot it was pulled out twice by our son, we didn’t think it would survive but it did,” Juliane said. “When we planted it in the ground, we never did anything to it except for some trimming every now and then.”
They planted the avocado tree on their Waiohuli Hawaiian Homestead before their house was finished. With the exception of some trimming, they didn’t water or fertilize the tree, instead, they just kind of “left it alone.”
The massive avocado didn’t go to waste. After documenting its size, the family used it make none other than guacamole good for 20 people!
“We cut it open and made a whole bunch of guacamole, sharing with family and friends,” Juliane said. “It fed a lot of people. We even gave some away.”
Now that they understand the Guinness process, the Pokini family will continue watching their avocado tree for potential contenders.
“This December, we’re going to be watching,” Mark said. “I’m still going to be watching the tree.”