Stinking Nutmeg

The Torreya Californica is commonly known as California Nutmeg, California Torreya, Stinking Cedar, Stinking Nutmeg, as well as Stinking Yew

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Growing Regions

California torreya is endemic to California. Its range has two distinct parts: one in the Coast Ranges and one in the Cascade-Sierra Nevada foothills. In the Coast Ranges, it is distributed from southwest Trinity County south to Monterey County. In the Cascade-Sierra Nevada foothills, it is distributed from Shasta County south to Tulare County [8]. Although not rare, it is not an abundant species. Local occurrence is widely scattered throughout its range [3], and trees are often infrequent in these localities [8].

     

General Information

The currently accepted scientific name of California torreya is Torreya californica Torr.; it is in the yew family (Taxaceae) [12,16]. There are no subspecies, varieties, or forms [3].

California torreya is plastic is its habitat requirements, and occurs in
many diverse plant communities.  In the Coast Ranges, it grows in
chaparral and various coastal forests such as redwood (Sequoia
sempervirens).  It is associated with canyon live oak (Quercus
chrysolepis) and California bay (Umbellularia californica) woodlands in
both coastal and inland foothill regions [10].  Inland populations are
most commonly found in the ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) belt [3,8].
It is rare in chaparral communities of the Cascade-Sierra Nevada.  It is
not a dominant or indicator species in community or vegetation typings.

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