Orchard - Definition and Overview

An orchard is an intentional planting of trees maintained for food production. Most orchards comprise either fruit or nut-producing trees (see fruit trees.)

Most temperate-zone orchards are laid out in a regular grid, with a mown grass or bare dirt base that makes maintenance and fruit gathering easy.

Orchards often are concentrated near bodies of water, where climactic extremes are moderated and blossom time is retarded until frost danger is past. In eastern North America many orchards are along the shores of Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.

Sour cherry orchard on Lake Erie shoreline (Leamington, Ontario)

The most extensive orchards in the United States are apple and orange orchards, although citrus orchards are more commonly called groves. The most extensive apple orchard area is in eastern Washington state, while there are extensive orange orchards in Florida and southern California. A particular advantage of growing apples on the high plateau areas of Washington state is that it's possible to grow high-quality organic apples.

Other important orchard crops in tropical areas include coconuts, cacao, and coffee.

The forest garden is a food production system that is closely related to the orchard. A move towards more ecologically-friendly coffee production has led to forest-garden production of coffee. Brazil nuts and rubber have been produced in such a method for years.

Other important orchard crops in the United States include:

• Cherries.
• Grapefruit.
• Lemons.
• Limes.
• English walnuts.
• Oranges.
• Peaches.
• Pecans.
• Plums

See also:

• Berries.
• Citrus.
• Fruit.
• Fruit trees.
• Fruit tree forms.
• Fruit tree pollination.
• Fruit tree propagation.
• Pruning fruit trees.