Torreya
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- TOR-ee-uh
- Description
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Torreya is an evergreen shrub or tree in the yew family with 2 being native to North America and 4 being native to Asia. They grow 16 to 65 feet tall and can be either monoecious or dioecious. When monoecious, the pollen and seed cones are on different branches. The seeds of some types are edible and squirrels help distribute the seed by collecting and burying them. The evergreen leaves spiral around the branch but twist so they lay in two flat ranks. The seed cone is large and drupe-like with a greenish-purplish or yellowish flesh (aril) around the seed.
California nutmeg-yew is native to California and is the largest of the species reaching up to 80 feet tall. Florida nutmeg-yew is restricted to an area in the Florida panhandle in Torreya State Park.
They prefer moist but well-drained fertile soil in part to full shade and are humidity tolerant.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The native Florida species is threatened by fungal diseases and may be difficult to find but has been successfully planted disease-free at Biltmore Gardens in NC.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- T. californica
Native to CA
T. taxifolia
Native to FL - T. californica
- T. californica, T. taxifolia
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- T. californica
Native to CA
T. taxifolia
Native to FL - T. californica
- T. californica, T. taxifolia
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Torreya
- Family:
- Taxaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia and North America
- Distribution:
- FL, CA, GA
- Dimensions:
- Height: 16 ft. 0 in. - 65 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 16 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Pyramidal
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The seed cone is a fleshy green drupe-like structure 3/4-1.5 inches long with a single nut-like seed inside that is edible. It matures green to purple. Pollen cones are 5-8 mm and grouped in lines on the underside of shoots.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Prickly
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The green linear leaves spiral around the shoots but are twisted so they lay in two flat rows with a sharp tip. They are 0.8-3 inches long and 3-4 mm wide. Upperside is lustrous and the underside has waxy-appearing bands parallel the midrib
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Peeling
- Bark Description:
- The bark is shallow, furrowed and peeling
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Screen/Privacy
- Small Tree
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Small Mammals
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Humidity
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
