OVIEDO, Fla. – When you think of Florida, oranges might come to mind, but what about celery? Oviedo, a city in Central Florida, was once dubbed the “Celery Capital of the World.”
Oviedo’s story began like many communities in Florida, where citrus farming started elsewhere. Investors seeking profit ventured into small communities that had yet to flourish. This marked the beginning of Oviedo, a land that would become the foundation for new life and a new chapter in Central Florida’s history.
The area’s swamp land proved to be ideal for growing citrus trees. Farmers discovered that the natural nutrients in the soil, combined with their efforts to enhance it, created a perfect environment for thriving crops.
“With citrus, we used to produce quite a lot,” said Zackery Surrette, a historian with the Oviedo Historical Society. “You know, grapefruit? They call it grapefruit because the branches were so full of the fruits that they looked like bunches of grapes.”
As the citrus industry grew, packing houses were built, creating a direct line to railroads that transported the fruit worldwide. Today, visitors can still see one of the original locomotives in Oviedo.
However, the prosperity was short-lived. In the 1890s, a series of freezes devastated the citrus crops, leaving many farmers with nothing. But the resilient people of Oviedo pivoted in the face of adversity.
According to Surrette, many families of Slavic and Swedish descent began to plant celery. This crop thrived in the local environment, requiring ample water but not an excessive amount of nutrients.
“In the 1920s, we produced about a quarter of the marketable celery in the United States at the time,” Surrette noted.
While some farmers focused on celery, others expanded their citrus groves, creating a resurgence in the industry. According to the National Register of Historic Places, Oviedo farmers shipped more than 60,000 boxes of citrus by rail in 1915 alone.
One notable figure in Oviedo’s agricultural history was Theodore Mead. He attempted to grow oranges in the Lake Charm neighborhood.
“When that didn’t work out, he worked on producing amaryllis varieties and hybrids,” Surrette said.
He also told News 6 that Mead is credited with the commercialization of orchids, making them a common sight in local grocery stores. He developed a method of cross-pollinating different orchid stems, leading to the vibrant varieties we see today.
News 6 asked Surrette why it is important to understand Oviedo’s roots. He told us this, “it gives the individual communities their own identity and can inspire people to create new industries where others have failed. We have the citrus with the freezes in the 1890s and then the decrease of celery in general and then the railroads, but new industries can come up any time.”
Lucas Nursery and Duda Farms were some of the biggest celery producers. Both companies still operate in Oviedo today. Duda Farms, known as Duda Farm Fresh Foods, grows fruits and vegetables including celery. Lucas Nursery has transitioned to landscaping and plants. It also has one of the largest native butterfly conservatories in Florida.
