No Place Like Home -- Karen Wight

You can take the girl out of Riverside, but you can’t take Riverside

out of the girl.

Even though Ben and I have called Newport home for more than 20years,

we still miss the sweet smell of the Riverside orange blossoms each

spring.

So much so that in every house we have lived in, we planted and then

left behind a citrus legacy.

Our first home was on Cabrillo Street in Eastside Costa Mesa. It had

an enormous orange tree in the backyard laden with fabulous fruit. We

considered the tree an “omen” of sorts and bought the house. Even though

the Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket illuminated our backyard, we had our

orange tree, and that was good enough.

The family grew and the next house got the touch of citrus. Not just

in the yard, but also in large pots that were planted with dwarf citrus

trees. The pots were a great anchor for the patio, and that way I could

have the trees near the kitchen window to enjoy.

Our next locale, and the house that we still live in, came

citrus-less, but did not remain so for long. A lemon tree was added

immediately just outside the kitchen door. The large pots with the dwarf

citrus trees moved with us, and over the years, a few more trees (and

children) have been added to the tribe.

The windows of our master bedroom are now the strategic location of

the original two pots of dwarf Washington navel orange trees. I guess you

could say that we have “his and hers” trees. The tree by the window on

Ben’s side of the bed has more blossoms, but the tree by my window has

the sweeter fruit. I think the trees are the perfect metaphor of our

marriage.

I think that every house should have at least one citrus tree. Beyond

the intoxicating fragrance, citrus trees have glossy evergreen leaves and

an extra bonus of fruit.

Whether you use your oranges to eat or for juice, nothing beats fruit

picked right off the tree. Limes are great for meat marinades, squeezed

over papayas and a prerequisite for a killer margarita.

Fresh lemons are a necessity for cooking (squeeze over seafood),

cleaning (run some lemon rind down the garbage disposal), and home “spa”

treatments (cut a lemon in half and sink your elbows or heels in the pulp

for a few minutes).

My personal favorites are kumquat trees. They are highly ornamental

(the fruit hangs in small clusters of vivid orange) and are great as a

garnish on a platter, scattered on a table or stuffed in a vase with

flowers.

Most people don’t eat kumquats, but I think they are a dynamic taste

sensation. The rind is very sweet, which is unusual for citrus, and the

pulp is bitter. They are the perfect edible juxtaposition.

As far as good looks go, if you choose to plant your citrus trees in

pots, you also have the opportunity to plant seasonal color around the

base of the tree. You can have pansies in the winter, candytuft in the

spring, nasturtiums in the summer and alyssum in the fall.

Citrus trees provide fragrance, fruit and, in our opinion, personality

to your garden. Each tree is like a family member and has its own

strengths and weaknesses. Some trees may have beautiful blossoms. Some

are highly ornamental with dense shiny leaves. Others have fruit that

have their own unique taste.

My family in Riverside has an orange tree that has produced the

“creamiest” oranges we’ve ever eaten. Every December, we look forward to

our allotment of Riverside fruit.

This year however, the “creamy” tree decided it was ready to retire

after 40 years of faithful service. To commemorate the loss of our

“family member” we have planted a new tree to carry on the legacy. Will

the fruit be as sweet; will the blossoms be as dense; will the branches

spread as wide?

It doesn’t matter. The tree will serve us as it sees fit. And we will

appreciate it for the beauty, the bounty and the sweet smell of citrus

that it provides.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs Sundays.