Back in the middle of the 19th century states such as California began to adopt their own official state symbols. A state symbol can come in the form of state animals, mammals, a state bird and flower, fruits, vegetables, insects, amphibians, nicknames, state seals, and much more.
State symbols were adopted by states to best represent them and their historical roots, and past and present successes. Like all other states, there are many California state symbols.
What is the State Fruit of California?
The unofficial California state fruit is the avocado. Despite not officially having a fruit that represents the state of California, there is an “unofficial” state fruit that is recognized to best showcase the state, which is the incredibly popular avocado fruit.
California produces the majority of fruit and vegetables in the United States. Many believe this is due to the incredibly consistent weather, making for perfect growing conditions, especially with tropical fruits such as the avocado.
The confusion that comes with avocados is that they are actually classified as a vegetable in the USDA database based on their usage. However, they are considered to be a fruit because they match the criteria for berries due to their pulp and large seed residing in the middle. They belong to the fruit genus Persea and the Lauraceae family.
Funnily enough, avocados were once considered a “royal food”, only being used and eaten by the rich and famous, or royalty of this world. Nowadays, avocados are one of the most commonly eaten fruits, containing many nutrients and natural fats, super healthy and tasty.
By now it is no secret that the majority of the avocados produced in the United States are grown in the Golden State. In 2020 alone, over 188 thousand tons of avocados were grown and harvested in California! If you would like to learn how you can grow your own delicious avocados at home, then we have provided an excellent how-to guide and resource below.
Most states will have their symbols showcase a relevant story, that is indicative of the state and its history, and the Golden State puts its history and what it stands for across very well in the California state Fruit. This interesting fact about California and a whole host of others like the state insect of California are what makes the state so unique and fascinating to those that live there or are researching the historical events of the state.
