Heather's Corner: The Sweet Smell of Oro Valley

I felt compelled to learn about citrus trees as spring seems to be moving in like a welcomed guest these past couple weeks. We have eaten nearly all the oranges from our tree out back and the sweet perfume from our lemon tree blossoms is wafting through the air. I'm also reminded of my father-in-law, who grew up farming fruit trees on the eastern side of Canada, seemed amazed this past December at picking his very first orange from a tree: our tree.

This had me thinking.  How did Arizona become one of the few lucky states to have citrus trees and how did they get here?

As it turns out, Arizona is one of only four states that are citrus producing, (Texas, Southern California, and Florida being the other states, respectively.)  Citrus trees require a certain climate, on the warner side, and are particularly sensitive to frost and extended periods of cold weather. In fact one night of a hard freeze can ruin a crop.  Luckily for us, those nights are far and few between.

The history of citrus fruit is an interesting one with most types originating in Asia, especially China, Japan, and Northern India. In the early 1700's the Spanish introduced it to what is now Southern Arizona and missionaries began cultivating the fruit.

In more recent times what has allowed the production to thrive was the introduction of modern canals in the 1860's for miners and cavalrymen. These canals allowed for crops and soon "experimental" citrus groves excelled when their fruit ripened earlier than California's, cornering the market for the seasons first citrus. It seems many of the miners suffered vitamin deficiencies.  Citrus, especially lemons, helped to battle the scurvy that would set in. The high demand for lemons would be a precursor for what would become an economic gold mine in Arizona. To this day, California and Arizona provide 95 percent of the nations lemons. Fascinating!

I am new to being a citrus tree owner and surprisingly I have found, after speaking with a landscaper, they are relatively easy to care for. Water thoroughly but let the roots dry out between watering. Fertilize them twice yearly.  Try to protect them from freeze.

What you get is a beautiful variety of evergreen citrus trees that bear sweet treats for the family (and neighbors, co-workers, the postal carrier, the kid's teachers, passersby. The list goes on.)

Ah, Oro Valley! Just another reason I love to call you home.
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Heather Nenadovich has lived in Oro Valley a total of five years. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. Her husband is Canadian so she is a hockey fan by default and so are her two very clever children. When not being a mommy, she enjoys hiking in Catalina State Park, hand building pottery, and gardening. Her favorite things about living in Oro Valley are the towns recognition of art and culture, their commitment to preserving nature and the Christmas parade. (Also anything from GMG Chinese Bistro.)