- Mother Orange Tree
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The Mother Orange Tree
The Mother Orange Tree is the oldest living orange tree in Northern California. It is growing in Oroville, California.
Contents
History
Originally planted in Bidwell's Bar near the Bidwell Bar Bridge, the tree is a Mediterranean sweet orange Citrus × sinensis cultivar. The citrus rootstock was brought from Mazatlán, Mexico on a shipping vessel. The then two-year-old orange tree, which was a novelty in Northern California at the time, was purchased by Judge Joseph Lewis in the city of Sacramento and planted in 1856 at the western approach to the bridge.
As the years passed and the tree flourished, growing to a height of over 60 feet (18 m), it was a favorite attraction of the miners who would sample its fruit and save seeds to plant in the dooryards of their cabins. On average, it yielded about 600 pounds (273 kg) of oranges that ripened between February and May each year.
Transplanting
It has been transplanted twice, once in 1862 to avoid flooding of the Feather River, a second time in 1964 during the construction of Oroville Dam to the California State Park Headquarters in Oroville. The tree's survival proved that the citrus industry could thrive in the colder climate of Northern California, encouraging many people to grow oranges in the area around Oroville, although the vast majority produced in the region are of the navel orange variety instead.
Recent events
In 1998, a severe frost struck and the tree stopped bearing fruit for a number of years. As a result of the frost, decay fungus entered the trunk and hollowed it out. To ensure preservation of the tree, propagation experts at the University of California, Riverside successfully cloned the tree in 2003 and three clones were brought to Oroville for planting. The tree has since resumed fruit production.
The California Historical Landmark commemorative plaque for the bridge may be found near the tree.
See also
- Eliza Tibbets - founder of the California citrus industry
- California Citrus State Historic Park
References
- Ek, Richard, Old Mother Orange, Chico News and Review, May 1, 2003
Coordinates: 39°30′40″N 121°30′15.4″W / 39.51111°N 121.504278°W
Categories:- Oranges
- Citrus
- Agriculture in California
- History of California
- History of agriculture in the United States
- History of the American West
- Individual trees
- Oroville, California
- History of Butte County, California
- Farm museums in California
- Visitor attractions in Butte County, California
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