Week of March 17

Orange Blossom Time

As spring unfolds at our Florida Home, the camellias and azaleas finish their visual displays but usher in the next delight to the sense of smell:  ORANGE BLOSSOM TIME.  The types of citrus trees vary a bit with time.  Our two grapefruit trees came first, with huge clusters of white blossoms all over these quite large trees pruned down so we can pick the fruit.  Then came the tangerines, with a variety of blooms in the four varieties, all more dainty and equally pungent as the grapefruit.  Next, the Meyer lemons are showing blue buds and nice white flowers.  Finally, the Key limes and, for the first time, the Hamlin juice orange are showing their small, white blossoms.  Last year, we only had a few blossoms on anything due to a hard freeze the prior January.  This year was far more gentle with plenty of blossoms on all types of citrus trees and an entire yard of perfume.  We also had plenty of help from our honey bee partners.  Sure enough, where the petals dropped are now rafts of little green buttons, forecasting a fine crop of delicious citrus next fall and winter!