Origin: in Bangor, Butte County, Calif., by "Duke" Hornung. Introd. in the late 1920s. Chance seedling; Mexican type; seed imported in 1912, apparently from Mexico, by a Mr. Benedict for Sunnyslope Avocado Nursery, Bangor; following abandonment of this nursery, Hornung purchased the area, noted the seedling, and selected several; from one of these came Duke; selected in 1924 by Hornung; evaluated in 1924 and later by J. Eliot Coit, Vista, Calif. Tree: vigorous; productive; very hardy; wind resistant; blooms early; Duke seedlings and selected rooted clones of these seedlings show partial resistance to phytophthora root rot. Fruit: size medium, 8 to 12 oz; pyriform; skin yellowish-green, glossy, nearly smooth, very thin; quality fair to good; poor shipper because of thin skin; seed large, often loose in cavity; primarily for local markets; ripens early, September to November.
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