Orange Blossom is a main character who appears in all generations of the Strawberry Shortcake franchise. She is always the best friend of Strawberry. Though her interests often change she is usually a very sweet character in all generations and a loyal, selfless friend.
General Information[]
1980s[]
Orange Blossom was first introduced in the second Strawberry Shortcake special, "Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City". She was the first person that Strawberry Shortcake encountered (who wasn't The Peculiar Purple Pieman in disguise) in the city on her way to the baking competition. The two met in Sentimental Park, when Orange asked Strawberry if she could move out of the way and stop blocking her view, so she could finish her painting of the seashore (she didn't have her paints when she went to the seashore last week, she'll paint the park once she gets to the mountains). The two girls instantly hit it off, and quickly became best friends. Orange showed Strawberry around Big Apple City, meeting Tamale the Mexican mole, introducing her to Lemon Meringue, Apricot, T.N. Honey, her friends and neighbors at Spinach Village, and taking Strawberry to the Little Theater off Times Pear for the baking competition on Horseradish the horse's carriage. Orange and the rest of Strawberry's new friends watched the competition as the audience, and would have to help Strawberry out whenever the Pieman tried to sabotage her. After Strawberry won the competition, Orange Blossom, along with the rest of the gang, decided to move back to Strawberryland with her.
Orange would continue to appear every television special afterward as one of Strawberry's friends and accompanying her on her adventures, though she wouldn't have as much of a major role like she did in Big Apple City.
Classic[]
Orange Blossom returned for the 2003 Series. She runs Orange Blossom Acres, where she collects oranges from her trees to make orange juice, her top-selling product.
She appeared in the first episode, "Meet Strawberry Shortcake". Strawberry first meets her when she comes across Orange picking oranges from a tree at Orange Blossom Acres. The two quickly became friends, and Orange accompanied Strawberry as she prepared for Apple Dumplin's birthday, deciding to bring orange juice for the party.
Orange continues to appear across the rest of the series as Strawberry's best friend, and a major character in many episodes.
Berry Bitty Adventures[]
Orange Blossom is Strawberry's best friend in Berry Bitty City. She works and lives at the Orange Mart, a general store with just about anything you'd need, such as food, drinks, toys, and home building supplies. Orange is a lot like Strawberry, in that she is possesses natural leadership skills. She is very brave and likely to be the first to react or charge forward, encouraging the others when it mostly counts. She prefers things to be fun and fair, although she may struggle to keep the balance now and then. She is open to new ideas and is always willing to hear others out though, and because of her experience running her shop she is very good at organizing and has great memory skills. She is also very inventive and likes creating new things.
Berry in the Big City[]
Orange Blossom is a part of the main cast in "Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City". Orange is a athetic, friendly, and competitive girl who runs the Citrus Slice smoothie cart at the Berryworks in Big Apple City. When she first meets Orange, she asks Strawberry if she's gonna be competition, before reassuring her it was a joke and welcoming her to Big Apple City. She and Strawberry become fast friends, giving her the nickname "Shortcakes", and the two form a sort of competitive friendship.
Orange has a huge interest in health and exercise, which might come from her family, who is just as athletic as she is. She works out at 4 am every morning, and ensures all her smoothies at the Citrus Slice cart are nutritious and delicious for her customers. Orange is strong, fast, and agile, which she has demonstrated across the series in several episodes. Her concerns with healthy eating can occasionally get in the way of common sense, like when she substituted veggie powder for sugar in a cupcake recipe, though this doesn't mean she doesn't love eating sweets and baked goods, especially when it's Strawberry's recipes.
Orange loves competitions and will gladly partake in one any chance she gets, which can lead to her acting intense and having a strong drive to win, but she usually stays friendly throughout, and doesn't take it hard if she loses. She and Strawberry will often get into the heat of the moment with each other, with simple errands quickly becoming a contest between the two, from racing across the city to get gooseberries, to sweeping the floors as fast as they can, but at the end of the day they laugh it off and their friendship remains as close as ever. Orange also shares Lemon's enthusiasm when it comes to her "Lemon-ventions" and is always eager to see the gadgets in action. Orange can sometimes forget not everyberry loves competing as much as she does, which can occasionally lead to frustration with friends over her "gotta-win" attitude, though Orange always tries to prioritize her friends first and make sure everyberry is having fun.
Orange believes hard work and determination are what makes a berry successful, rather than good luck and magic. She and Strawberry will occasionally have disagreements over this, as Strawberry considers her lucky mixing spoon to be a great contributor to her success, which Orange finds strange, though she does start to turn around on this after wielding the lucky spoon gets her a role as an extra in a Tangerine Smash movie. Orange also has difficulty with creativity and spontaneity, preferring set rules and goals that she can abide by.
Orange is a huge fan of the comic book superheroes Tangerine Smash and Guava Girl, having an encyclopedic knowledge of their 35-year history, owning every piece of merchandise in existence, and having her own costume of Tangerine Smash that she'll occasionally wear for Fright Fall or for cosplay. Tangerine Smash inspires Orange to strive to do good wherever she can, and is a big influence on the berry she is today.
Personality[]
1980[]
In 1980, she was stated to be very shy, and downplaying her beauty or talent out of humbleness. Orange Blossom is gentle to animals and plants, and is described as a 'friend of the earth'. She cares deeply about taking care of our planet. In her introduction in Big Apple City she's shown a bit differently, being depicted as a carefree and sweet girl who loves to paint. She has some level of silliness saying she paints the places she's already seen and is shown to be a little clumsy. She also has great hospitality, willing to help others whenever she gets the chance as well.
Classic[]
| “ | Orange Blossom knows all there is to know about helping living grow. She's a caring, loving, special friend of the earth and also to anyone who needs a helping hand. Orange Blossom's home is called Orange Blossom Acres. It is an orchard with rows of every kind of fruit tree. Orange Blossom's house is built on a fantastic orange tree covered with fragrant blossoms and luscious, large oranges. | „ |
| ~ Description from 2003 website |
Orange Blossom is a girl with a handful to offer literally. She's usually a happy girl who loves to smile and make others do the same. Rarely ever is she selfish, as she believes that as long as others feel happy, then she'll be happy too.She's sweet and is never the one causing a disagreement. She is somewhat sensitive and most likely the first to begin to pout and act nervous when she is not happy. She also happens to be one of the easier girls to upset and quick to burst into tears, though she is always thoughtful enough to supply more handkerchiefs. When she cries, it is usually out of pure sensitivity and not whiny, bratty behavior demonstrated like Tea Blossom or Raspberry Torte. She's shy and has a hard time speaking up when she disagrees with something. She can let people just walk all over her and doesn't often stand up for herself as much as she will stand up for her friends. Ginger Snap sometimes tries to talk for her and guess what she's thinking.
Out of all the girls, Orange seems to be the bravest. Sometimes she rushes into situations head-first not considering the consequence due to her loyalty towards her friends. She can also be very stubborn about things once her mind has been set on them, but not as stubborn as Angel Cake. She wants to prove her worth; This makes it hard for her to admit when she needs help or is afraid.
Despite general downsides to her behavior, Orange is a true friend who will help others the berry best she can. Whether it be advice, help, or just a shoulder to lean on. She often refers to her creativity when in need of assistance and can make new things with a snap of a finger and has brilliant ideas.
2009[]
| “ | Orange Blossom runs the Orange Mart in Berry Bitty City, and she's always ready with a smile to help her customers. She always says you can't put a price on helping others. | „ |
| ~ Official Hub profile |
Orange blossom is a store manager and great friend to those in need. She is always prepared and has the perfect supply for any situation. She's shown to be brave and happy, though also stubborn if she's really passionate about something. She also has a wild imagination, and paired with occasional sensitivity and her stubborness she can freak herself out and be hard to calm down or talk out of plans. She is also shown to go along with plans others make if she thinks they have her best interest in mind, a good example being in the Berry Bitty Comics when tries promoting her on social media.
2021[]
| “ | Orange Blossom is naturally competitive and a super friend to Strawberry Shortcake, always helping her to be the berry best. Paired with her faithful dog, Pupcake they are a great team that's supportive in every way! | „ |
| ~ Description from the Berry in the Big City website |
Orange Blossom is an outgoing, bold, and friendly girl. She is sporty and brave, and she loves competition and games. Like in 2003, she loves making juices and runs a smoothie stand. She is very direction oriented, she tends to stick to recipes and is not good at improvising, having to be creative and make a new recipe stresses her out. She is very helpful and selfless, being just as kind as in previous generations. She is very protective of her friends, especially Strawberry and feels she needs to protect her since she believes Strawberry is naïve. She is especially attached to Strawberry, she wants to do everything with her and does not let anyone be rude to her Berry Besty. She is up for anything and with her boundless energy Orange is up for any challenge and never backs down from a problem.
Appearance[]
1980s[]
Orange Blossom is a young human girl resembling a rag doll with dark skin and short, dark brown or black, afro-textured hair. She wears an outfit consisting of a tall sunhat with a reddish-orange exterior, an orange-and-white flower pattern on the interior, with an orange blossom on top; a yellow-orange sleeveless dress with the same white flower pattern; a red-orange capelet with a light bow; white-and-green striped stockings; and large red-orange shoes with white orange blossoms on them. She was typically depicted with brown eyes and freckles.
2003[]
Orange has dark brown skin and dark, curly hair, separated into two afro puffs. She wears a hat with a reddish-orange brim and a white stitched pattern on the edge. The top of the hat is a lighter yellow-orange, and it has an orange-and-yellow flower on it. She also wears a long-sleeved orange shirt with a yellow flower design on the front. She wears long khaki cargo pants and plain brown shoes.
2007[]
Orange Blossom's design is similar to the previous 2003 one. Her hat is the same as before. She now wears a blouse with a reddish-orange top section, and a scalloped, yellow-orange bottom section. She wears capri jeans with a scalloped edge and white stitching on the bottom, and orange Mary Janes. Her hair is now much longer, (reaching past her back) and no longer tied back. She has a few braids at the front, with orange strands of hair mixed in, and green beads at the ends.
2009[]
Orange now has very long brown hair with a slight wave and much lighter skin. She wears a white t-shirt under an orange-and-peach-colored top with a white line containing an orange in a flower, a white belt with an orange line in the middle, a skirt resembling orange slices, a pair of light orange and white striped leggings, a pair of colored-peach boots with hot pink soles and orange ornaments, and an orange blossom flower clip with an orange at the side on her hair.
2021[]
Orange Blossom has dark brown skin with a cool undertone, vivid orange curly hair with afro buns, and raspberry-colored eyes. She has orange stud earrings. She is athletic and fit. She wears a sky-blue headband with orange slices on it, a white t-shirt with an orange on it, darker orange compression leggings that go past her belly button, and orange athletic tennis shoes with short socks.
In winter episodes, Orange wears her normal outfit, with the additions of a sky-blue earflap beanie with an orange wedge pattern, a off-white winter jacket with an orange slice logo on the right side of her chest, and longer socks.
In summer episodes, Orange wears a sky-blue baseball cap with an orange wedge logo on the front, an orange t-shirt, a white vest with a yellow hood and two orange slice logos at the bottom, darker orange shorts, and orange sandals.
Pets[]
1980s and 2003 Series[]
Orange Blossom owned a butterfly named Marmalade in the 1980s and 2003 series. Marmalade is yellow with orange wings, a spiral orange antenna, and an orange flower on her stomach.
She also has a horse named Orange Twist in the 2003 series, who has yellow fur with orange swirls. She has a blonde mane and a blonde tail with copper highlights. She has a white muzzle and an orange blossom on her tail and head.
Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures[]
Her pet is once again Marmalade, though rather than being a butterfly, this Marmalade is instead a long-eared dachshund. Orange Blossom adopts Marmalade in Season 3, episode 1, "A Boy and his Dogs."
Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City[]
Her pet is her dog Pupcake, who now bears a strong resemblance to Marmalade, though he isn't a dachshund. Pupcake is just as excitable and energetic as his past incarnations. He and the other Berryworks pets occasionally get focus in an episode, where they have to team up to help out each other or their owners with a problem.
Trivia[]
General[]
- Orange Blossom is the first character of color to be featured in the franchise, being African American.
- She is Strawberry Shortcake's best friend in every version of the show.
- Her character flips between being feminine and being more of a tomboy more often than most other characters.
1980s[]
- She, like many of the original incarnations of the Strawberry Shortcake characters, changed voice actors several times across the specials. Orange is particularly notable for changing her voice actress in every single special she appears.
2003[]
- During the first season of the 2003 series, Orange Blossom did not wear a hat.
Berry Bitty Adventures[]
- Her design was the subject of major controversy due to her drastically lightened skin tone, as many fans considered it white-washing.
- However, concept art of her design depicts her with much darker skin and black hairstyles, and her skin color in the cartoon series is also shown to be darker.
- She has an unnamed sister in the Berry Bitty Adventures comics, who looks like her, but with curly hair and dressed like her 1980s incarnation.
- In the 2018 webseries episode "Promotion Commotion", she says she has 200 relatives, though this is mostly due to her taking Berrykin Bloom's place in the adapted story "The Cane Critique".
- She is the first character to appear onscreen (not including the theme song), however, Strawberry is the first character to talk.
Berry in the Big City[]
- As of yet, Orange Blossom has the most on-screen relatives out of the main characters in Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City; she is shown with a mother, a father, and a sister, for a total of three. (Lime Chiffon has two fathers but no other relatives mentioned, Blueberry Muffin has a brother and mother (two relatives), Huckleberry Pie has no on-screen relatives, and the other two have only one each (one has her aunt while the other has her father).)
- Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City is the only generation in the franchise where Orange Blossom does not retain a dark brown or black hairdo, not counting the cancelled 2017 series; instead, she has orange hair. She also features two afro buns like her 2003 incarnation.
- She shows an interest in comic books, her favorite series being "The Terrific Tales of Tangerine Smash".
- She once again has a sister like in Berry Bitty Adventures, though this time her sister is given a name, "Cherry Crisp".
- Her voice actress, Bahia Watson, also voices a main character in the current My Little Pony series named Misty, who has a similar personality and hair.
- Orange Blossom works out every weekday very early in the morning.
Gallery[]
.png "Orange Blossom (2007).png (164 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (140).png (440 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (379).png (694 KB)")
.jpg "Playmates artwork (4).jpg (88 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (135).png (340 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (191).png (505 KB)")
.jpg "Hqdefault (5).jpg (28 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (521).png (743 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (528).png (714 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (580).png (528 KB)")
.png "Orange and lemon (2).png (1.33 MB)")
.jpg "Maxresdefault (4).jpg (119 KB)")
.jpg "Unnamed (47).jpg (81 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (1487).png (689 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (1628).png (863 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (1629).png (844 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (1630).png (1.03 MB)")
.png "Screenshot (1627).png (883 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (1633).png (965 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (1636).png (938 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (1637).png (841 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (1634).png (918 KB)")
.png "Screenshot (1635).png (923 KB)")
