Hawaiian Heirloom Orange Tree

Some 70 years ago Uncle Manuel, who used to be the caretaker of the Aadheenam lands back in the 40s and 50s, brought a special orange tree he was give by the native islanders on the West Side of our island. He planted it on the land, not far from the current Rudraksha Forest, in a pasture.

The tree was famed both for its sweet taste and the fact it gives oranges all year long. It spent its years happily in the sun, munched on occasionally by our cows. But it is getting old, covered with lichen, and suffering from cow abuse. So we set out to graft it and save the genetics.

Yesterday Sean Kelly and Eilene came to help, both experts in grafting. They brought a robust root stock well established in pots, and they cut from the famed tree and grafter three copies.

Hopefully one or more will make it and we will start fresh with a new long life of oranges.

That\

s it, by the fence in the foreground. '

You can see it is stressed.

But it never stops offering oranges.

These are the grafts, protected in plastic bags.

You can see the parifin tape on the small stalk. Go Orange!

}

];