Torreya californica
California-nutmeg
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Taxaceae · Type: Tree · Native
Torreya californica (California-nutmeg) is a native California tree in the Taxaceae family, recognized by California endemic species, only Torreya representative on the west coast.
California-nutmeg is a native tree found in northern coastal California, northern Coast Ranges, California Roaring Fork region, Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, and southern Coast Ranges in shady moist canyons within forest or woodland at elevations of 10 to 2,100 meters. Its dark green leaves with distinctive yellow longitudinal grooves suggest a unique appearance, though no specific flowering details are available. Growing to 20 meters tall with a trunk less than 1.5 meters wide, this tree has a relatively smooth or slightly fissured bark tinged with orange-brown. Its leaves are arranged in two ranks, presenting a dark green color on top and a lighter yellow-green underneath. The tree produces large oblong seeds 25 to 45 millimeters long with longitudinal grooves along their surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: California endemic species, only Torreya representative on the west coast
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shady moist canyons in forest or woodland, occasionally chaparral
Elevation: 10-2100 m
California counties: Lake, Marin, Mariposa, Napa, Fresno, Butte, San Benito, Placer, Mendocino, Calaveras, San Mateo, Tulare, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Tehama, Santa Cruz, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Tuolumne, El Dorado, Shasta, Monterey, Colusa, Yolo, Kern, Trinity, Amador, Alameda, Madera, Solano, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego
How to tell it apart
vs Sequoia: California-nutmeg has sharp-tipped aromatic needles and plum-like fruits; redwood has flat sprays of scale-like leaves.; vs Pseudotsuga: California-nutmeg has sharp-tipped aromatic needles and plum-like fruits; Douglas-fir has soft needles and hanging cones with pitchfork bracts.; vs Taxus: California-nutmeg has long, sharp-tipped aromatic needles; yew has short, soft needles and red cup-shaped fruits.; vs Abies: California-nutmeg has sharp spine-tipped aromatic needles; fir has soft needles and upright cones that disintegrate.; vs Afrocarpus: California-nutmeg has stiff sharp-tipped needles in flat sprays; Afrocarpus has broader, more leathery leaves spirally arranged.
Frequently asked questions
Is Torreya californica native to California?
Yes. Torreya californica is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Torreya californica grow?
Torreya californica occurs in Lake, Marin, Mariposa, Napa, Fresno, Butte, San Benito, Placer and other counties, at elevations of 10-2100 m.
What plant family does Torreya californica belong to?
Torreya californica is in the Taxaceae family, genus Torreya.
What habitat does Torreya californica grow in?
Torreya californica grows in Shady moist canyons in forest or woodland, occasionally chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.