# California torreya (*Torreya californica*) The California torreya is a special tree that grows in California's forests. It has thick, dark green leaves and produces unique nuts that are tasty and nutritious. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Forests ![California torreya](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rennes_ParcOberthur_Torreya_californica.jpg&width=800) Photo: Pymouss, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rennes_ParcOberthur_Torreya_californica.jpg) ## Appearance The California torreya is an evergreen conifer with dense, dark green, needle-like leaves that are sharp to the touch. Its smooth, reddish-brown bark eventually becomes furrowed. It produces small, olive-like green to purplish-brown seeds covered in a fleshy aril. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Pinopsida - **Order:** Pinales - **Family:** Taxaceae - **Genus:** Torreya ## Interesting facts - If you rub its needles, they release a tangy, resinous scent! - Indigenous people once ground and ate its delicious, nutritious seeds. - Its ripe seeds look strikingly like tiny green olives! - This tree's family lineage dates back millions of years! ## Special abilities - **Stump Sprouter:** California torreya can regrow from its base after damage like fire, helping it survive and live for centuries. - **Shade Lover:** California torreya can grow well in dim forest light, allowing it to thrive under taller canopy trees. - **Long-Lived Legacy:** California torreya can live for several hundred years, passing on its genes across many generations. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 500-2500 cm - **Spread:** 600-1200 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Western Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus griseus*) — eats and caches its seeds - **Eaten by:** [California Scrub-Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-scrub-jay) (*Aphelocoma californica*) — eats and disperses its seeds - **Eaten by:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — consumes fallen seeds ## Traits - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Nut Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nut-bearing): Nut bearing plants produce hard-shelled fruits, commonly known as nuts, which contain a single seed and are a valuable food source. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not eat any nuts or plants without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify California torreya? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is California torreya? 500-2500 cm ### How wide does California torreya spread? 600-1200 cm ### When does California torreya bloom? Spring ### Is California torreya edible? Yes ### Is California torreya toxic? None ### What is California torreya's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is California torreya pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Atwell Mill Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atwell-mill-grove) — California, US · Forest - [Black Mountain Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-mountain-grove) — California, US · Forest - [Robert Louis Stevenson State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/robert-louis-stevenson-state-park) — California, US · State Park [View all places to see California torreya](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/california-torreya) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [California torreya: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-torreya)