Montana De Oro Wood Strawberry… and more jellybeans… you know, for the habitat!
As for oranges… the Washington Navel Orange Tree it is!
…the Washington navel orange tree was first imported to the United States from the Brazilian city of Bahia in 1870. For this reason, it’s sometimes called the “Bahia.”
Most experts believe that the Washington navel orange tree came from a bud sport that was found in the early 1800s in a Selecta orange tree grown by missionaries. When the Washington orange tree arrived at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., scientists propagated it, and trees were sent to Florida and California.
The trees that went to Florida failed to flourish, but the ones that made it to Eliza Tibbets in Riverside, California thrived in the ideal climate there.
Here’s a super cool fun fact about these legendary orange trees. Since the Washington navel orange tree doesn’t have seeds, it can’t be grown from seeds. Trees have to be grown by grafting to seedling rootstocks or budding. Because of this, almost all of the Washington orange trees grown in California originate from the first two trees that were sent to Eliza Tibbetts.
Here’s to the next fruity destination!
California Citrus State Historic Park – Tag Hunt . pdf
California Citrus State Historic Park – Riverside, CA
History of the parent Washington navel orange tree
How a Tree Changed California History: The Washington Navel Orange
Parent Washington Navel Orange Tree
SAVING THE PARENT WASHINGTON NAVEL ORANGE TREE