Mother Orange Tree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mother Orange Tree |
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The Mother Orange Tree
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| Location | 400 Glen Drive, Oroville, California |
| Reference no. | 1043 |
The Mother Orange Tree is super special! It's the oldest living orange tree in Northern California. This amazing tree is recognized as a California Historical Landmark and you can find it in Oroville, California.
Contents
The Tree's Story
Early Life and Planting
This famous orange tree was first planted way back in 1856. It started its life in a place called Bidwell's Bar, close to the Bidwell Bar Bridge.
The tree is a type of sweet orange, like the ones from the Mediterranean. Its roots came all the way from Mazatlán, Mexico, on a ship!
In 1856, Judge Joseph Lewis bought the young, two-year-old tree in Sacramento. Back then, an orange tree was a very new and exciting thing in Northern California. Alfred Clarke and his foreman, Howard Burt, carefully planted it near the bridge.
A Miner's Favorite
As the years went by, the Mother Orange Tree grew big and strong, reaching over 60 feet tall! It became a popular spot for miners working nearby. They loved to taste its fruit. Many even saved the seeds to plant their own orange trees around their cabins.
Every year, the tree produced a lot of oranges, about 600 pounds! These oranges would ripen between February and May.
Moving the Mother Orange Tree
Why the Tree Moved
The Mother Orange Tree has been moved two times to keep it safe!
The first time was in 1862. It was moved to avoid floods from the Feather River.
The second move happened in 1964. This was during the building of the huge Oroville Dam. The tree was carefully moved to the California State Park Headquarters in Oroville. James Edward Huse, a crane operator, was chosen for this important job. His family had even helped move the tree the first time!
Proving Oranges Could Grow
The tree's survival after being moved showed something very important. It proved that citrus fruits could grow well even in the colder parts of Northern California. This encouraged many people to start growing oranges around Oroville. Today, most of the oranges grown there are a type called navel orange.
What's Happening Now
Surviving a Frost
In 1998, there was a very bad frost. The Mother Orange Tree stopped growing fruit for several years after that. A type of fungus got into its trunk because of the frost, making it hollow inside.
To save the tree, experts at the University of California, Riverside made clones of it in 2003. These clones are exact copies of the original tree! Three of these new trees were brought to Oroville and planted. Luckily, the original Mother Orange Tree has started growing fruit again!
You can also find a special commemorative plaque near the tree. It tells the story of the nearby historic bridge.
See also
