Fairhope, Alabama
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| Owari satsuma orchard. |
Last week's prolonged cold spell caused considerable damage to area citrus like this familiar satsuma orchard on Hwy 104 in Silverhill; it may be several weeks before the full extent of the damage is known, according to horticulturists. Some trees may need replacement.
Temperature there reached 12 degrees on the morning of January 22, according to weather records.
During a printed interview last August, orchard owner Craig Goolsby said he had over 360 Owari variety planted there that were intended for the local market, which was growing fast.
ALABAMA SATSUMA GROWING HISTORY
Intermittent freezes over the years here have hindered the industry, according to web sources:
"Satsuma mandarins were introduced into Alabama in 1898 and commercial interest developed in the following decades. By 1923, the industry expanded to 4856 ha of bearing and 2428 ha of nonbearing trees in Alabama and an additional 650 ha scattered throughout Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. There were seven packing facilities that shipped fruit to 45 cities in the United States, Canada, and England. Several freezes in the 1920s and 1930s injured trees along with two hurricane events that also damaged the crop. The freeze of 20 Nov. 1940 killed most trees, which essentially eliminated the commercial industry. There have been isolated attempts to revive the industry, but up to the late 1990s, only scattered plantings of a few hectares with fruit sold in local markets existed. In part because of memories of the earlier history, there is currently strong interest in reviving the satsuma industry."
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| Silverhill orchard. |
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