Hawaii family earns Guinness World Records honor for growing massive 6-pound avocado

WAILUKU, Hawaii -- A family in Hawaii has grown the world's heaviest avocado, earning itself a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Pokini family grew the avocado in about 10 months and said they had no idea it would turn out to weigh exactly 5.6 pounds.

The average avocado weighs about 6 ounces, according to Guinness officials.

The family's avocado tree is more than 10 years old and 20 feet tall. Mark Pokini planted it when his son was born, using a seed from his brother-in-law's tree on Oahu island, he said.

Mark and Juliane Pokini and their son, Loihi, applied in December for the Guinness recognition involving a tough verification process by the company known as the chronicler of the world's record achievements.

The family in 2018 entered another avocado, but it did not meet all the elements of the Guinness verification process requiring input from a certified horticulturalist, two forms completed by witnesses, a state-certified scale, photographs, video and other documentation.

For the second attempt, the family gathered a team and the right tools ahead of time as they watched the growth of what became the record fruit.

They did not water or fertilize the tree, deciding to "kind of just leave it alone," Juliane Pokini said.

Winning was emotional, she said.

"We were excited," Juliane Pokini said. "But at the same time, we were like, finally. It was such a long wait."

The prize avocado was put to good use when the family "made a whole bunch of guacamole" to share with relatives and friends, she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.