PublishedVictoria by Victoria Avenue Forever Ave Volumenews 20 No. 1 • March 2012 he Parent Navel Orange Tree T A brief history of a remarkable tree, continued. Part 2 -- Its decline and recovery By Dr. Chester N. Roistacher The early history of the parent navel or- since its sister tree at the Riverside Glenwood On Dec. 4, 1922, the Riverside Daily ange was presented in the last issue of Victoria Mission Inn was also showing signs of decline. Press reported that the tree at the Mission Inn Avenews as “The Parent ‘Washington’ navel This sister tree, also taken from the home of had died and been removed. It was noted by lo- orange tree: Part 1 -- its first years”. Included Luther and Eliza Tibbets, had been transplanted cal townspeople that the tree had begun to fail in that article were the early shipments of to the world-famous Mission Inn in Riverside rapidly after the death of President Theodore budwood and trees of a navel orange from in 1903, and President Theodore Roosevelt Roosevelt in 1919 who had personally assisted Bahia, Brazil to the gardens and grounds of was at the planting and dedication ceremony. in the transplanting ceremony (Figure 3, upper the Department of Agriculture in Washington Figure 2 shows this tree at the Mission Inn left). D.C. From there, a shipment of two trees was about 1920. After its death, the stump of the parent made by rail from Washington D.C. to Los Washington navel orange tree was given as a Angeles and then by horse-drawn wagon to the gift by Archibald Shamel, a leading horticultur- home of Eliza and Luther Tibbets in Riverside, alist, to Sir Percy Fitzpatrick who was visiting California. Riverside at that time. Sir Percy Fitzpatrick When the trees came into fruit, there was was a famous writer and owner of Amanzi much interest and excitement for this new, Citrus Estate near Port Elizabeth, South Africa. large and colorful seedless orange. Greater The plaque on the stump in the lower right of recognition came when the fruit was exhibited Figure 3 reads: at the local fairs. Shortly thereafter, a new “Parent Washington navel orange tree industry was born, beginning in Riverside and planted at Riverside, California 1903; died extending to the surrounding communities in and removed 1922. This section of trunk two Southern California. feet above ground is presented to Sir Percy What was it about this navel orange that Fitzpatrick as a memento from California. A.D. made it become such a popular and important Figure 1. The parent Washington navel Shamel, the Mission Inn, Riverside, December, fruit? This was a citrus fruit unlike any of the orange tree at Magnolia and Arlington in 1922.” seedy oranges that existed at that time growing decline from Phytophthora root rot, taken on seedling trees. The navel orange was larger, approximately 1920. seedless, had a superb sweetness and flavor, it peeled easily, had a bright orange color, and matured for the winter and spring months around the Christmas and New Year periods. In the concluding part of the previous article, two photos were shown of the par- ent Washington navel orange tree in the early 1900s. One photo was taken about 1910 and showed the tree in good health in its dedicated park at the corner of Magnolia and Arlington avenues. The second photo was taken about 10 years later and showed the tree in decline with leaves yellowing. The tree was suffering from a disease which was later confirmed as Phytoph- thora gummosis root rot. This declining tree was one of the two Figure 2. The parent Washington navel Figure 3. Planting ceremony and the original trees which had been transplanted from orange sister tree in front of the Mission Inn historic stump of the parent Washington the Tibbets’ home yard to this dedicated park in 1920. navel orange sister tree. and is shown in decline in Figure 1. The loss of this historic tree would have been tragic, Continued on page 2 President’s Corner by Frank Heyming There always seems to be something going on that affects Victoria Avenue. I am sure many of you have heard about or been involved with the Memorial Orange Grove Project at the corner of Myrtle and Victo- ria. The site will consist of about 2 acres of citrus, a kiosk, and memorial plaque. There will be limited access hours. While the final plan has not yet been approved, Victoria Avenue Forever (VAF) wholeheartedly supports the establishment of the Memorial Grove. Poly High School improvements are continuing. With your support the lighted marquis sign proposed for the corner of Central and Victoria Avenue will be placed nearer to the school entrance on Central Avenue. VAF was also able to give some landscape suggestions for the Victoria Avenue frontage. Mary St. and Victoria – Stater Brothers markets want to expand and needs some of the land currently being used for Washington Park. The City of Riverside is OK with that, provided Stater Bros. replaces that land and more. That is why the house at the corner of Mary and Victoria Ave. was demolished. The realigned Washington Park will now go all the way to Victoria Avenue. This should prove to be a great resting stop for walkers and bicyclists. On January 21st VAF volunteers planted 47 trees in the median of Victoria Avenue. Most of the trees were Chitalpa trees between Madison Street and Washington Street, or redbuds (Cercis sp.) between Arlington Avenue and Central Avenue. Please contact our new commemorative tree chairperson Marilyn Harris at (951) 686–4313 if you are interested in commemorating a tree on Victoria Avenue. Finally, we would like to welcome two Riverside natives to our board of directors. Tom and Andy Wilson have been lifelong orange growers and have been packing oranges since 1990. They also care for a grove along Victoria Avenue. Welcome! Continued from page 1 The inarching was done by Dr. H. J. Webber, This historic stump of the parent Wash- H. W. Mertz and Glenn Blackman. They used 2011 - 2012 Officers ington navel orange tree resided at the home of seedlings of sweet orange, rough lemon, and sour Patrick and Marina Niven at the Amanzi Estate orange for inarching. The inarches were again Frank Heyming, President in Uitenhage, South Africa. Shown holding photographed by Dr. Klotz 26 years later, on July Frank Yost, Vice President the stump in Figure 3 is Patrick Niven, the 17, 1944, and are shown on the right in Figure 4. Jim Dudek, Treasurer grandson of Sir Percy Fitzpatrick. Patrick Niven In 1951, it was noted that some of the origi- Susan McClintock was a highly respected citrus nurseryman in nal inarches were showing lesions of Phytoph- Recording Secretary South Africa who passed away in 2009. Note thora gummosis. Therefore, in that same year, a Directors the distinct large lesion of Phytophthora on the second inarching was done using three seedlings Kurt Gunther sweet orange stump in the lower left photo in of ‘Troyer’ citrange and one of trifoliate orange. The grafting was done by Denard C. Wylie, Se- Jim Montgomery Figure 3. nior Superintendent of Cultivations at the Citrus Kathy Swanson Experiment Station. Adam Timura Inarching Andy Wilson Facing the inevitable loss of this parent Washington navel orange tree, which was dy- The inarches as they appeared in 2009 Tom Wilson ing with Phytophthora root rot in its dedicated The survival and preservation of the parent Lori Yates park in Riverside, a decision was made by the Washington navel orange tree was dependent Lynn Yost scientists at the University of California to try on the successful inarches made in 1918 and Special Projects to save this tree by inarching. Figure 4 (left) repeated again in 1951. Shown on the left in Fig- Publications: shows the original inarches from a photograph ure 5 is a view of the inarches as they appeared in 2009. On the right in Figure 5 is a close-up Kurt Gunther • Lori Yates taken by Dr. L.J. Klotz in 1918. The tree had view of the inarches showing the distinct bark Marsha Loveridge been girdled by gummosis and was rapidly deteriorating as shown in Figure 1. lesions of Phytophthora on the original sweet Darleen DeMason orange rootstock growing upright in the center of the picture. These lesions were responsible Victoria Avenews is published for the decline of the tree in 1915-1917 as shown 4 - 6 times a year in Figure 1. As noted above , this same fungus by Victoria Avenue Forever had killed its sister tree at the Riverside Mission Inn in 1922. Thus, the timely inarches saved this The VAF board meets at 6:30 on historic tree. the 2nd Wednesday of each month (except August). email address: [email protected] website: www.victoriaavenue.org The trunk of the parent navel Join the fun orange tree in 2009 showing the inarches (left) and the severe lesions Figure 4. The inarching of the parent Wash- on Work Days! of Phytophthora on the original ington navel orange tree in 1918 (left) and in See page 3 for details. sweet orange trunk (right). The 1944 (right). inarching saved this historic tree. Figure 5. 2 • Victoria Avenews • March 2012 Figure 6 shows the 136-year-old parent large-sized fruit. A discussion was held on Our indebtedness to this mother tree Washington navel orange tree as it appeared in various aspects for the continued maintenance Little did Eliza or Luther Tibbets fully December 2009. The tree was in good health and and improvements for the health of the tree.