Things the Spanish brought to California (San Diego, Orange: 2015, hotels, houses)

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

Besides the obvious (language, culture, Catholic faith, architecture) what did the Spanish bring to California?

I think the Mustard plant

[TheDragonslayer]

Cattle, first for tallow and leather, now dairy and beef.

[NativeOrange]

Originally Posted by expatCA

I think the Mustard plant

You mean the yellow flowering plant that is literally EVERYWHERE?

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by NativeOrange

You mean the yellow flowering plant that is literally EVERYWHERE?

Yep, the scattered them on their way North through the State so they could see their way back.

"The Spaniards introduced mustard to the Americas, and in California, Father Junipero Serra scattered black mustard seeds along the routes from monastery to monastery to mark the way in 1768. The bright yellow spring blooms, which mark the old trail, can be seen from the main north-south highway."

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/mustard.aspx

[NativeOrange]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Yep, the scattered them on their way North through the State so they could see their way back.

"The Spaniards introduced mustard to the Americas, and in California, Father Junipero Serra scattered black mustard seeds along the routes from monastery to monastery to mark the way in 1768. The bright yellow spring blooms, which mark the old trail, can be seen from the main north-south highway."

mustard Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about mustard

Crazy. Never knew that.

They often bloom in the Talbert Nature Preserve by my house, covering the entire bluff. I remember driving west of Gilroy towards Monterey Bay a few years back and seeing an entire hillside/prairie covered in them. Literally 100% coverage.

Sucks that they are invasive, but at least in full bloom they are beautiful.

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

The citrus industry as we know it in CA was developed by Americans who migrated from the East, but I'm sure the Spaniards were cultivating citrus.

[sourdough]

Home » Ask the Experts » Daily Life and Food at the Missions
What fruit trees and plants did the spanish bring to California?

Virtually all of the common fruit trees were imported by the Spanish - with apples, oranges and lemons quite prevalent. Each mission had an orchard and extensive plantings of grapes, to produce wine. The primary crops grown in the field were wheat, barley, corn, peas, lentils and beans. While some plantings came from Spain most reached California from New Spain (current day Mexico) which a Spanish possession for a couple centuries at the time the missions were founded in what the Spanish called Alta California.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by NativeOrange

Crazy. Never knew that.

They often bloom in the Talbert Nature Preserve by my house, covering the entire bluff. I remember driving west of Gilroy towards Monterey Bay a few years back and seeing an entire hillside/prairie covered in them. Literally 100% coverage.

Sucks that they are invasive, but at least in full bloom they are beautiful.

They look great even when they get in a garden. Of course when they stop blooming ......................

[Count David]

Mexicans, of course.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Mexicans, of course.

So! It's the Spanish that should pay for "The Wall"? ... Or Pink Floyd ... Don't know which, but it's clear the Mexicans aren't gonna.


I'm gonna go with the Spanish.