PhotographsMy photos:These photos were taken at Torrey Pines in March. To the right is a view of the cove through the lovely branches of a Torrey Pine. The photos below are: new growth at the tips of branches, a close up of the needles, a pine cone, and a witch's broom.
More photos:Las Pilitas has a nice picture of a mature tree. |
click photo to enlarge |
This broad, open-crowned evergreen is extremely rare. It has also been planted throughout coastal Southern California. In cultivation, it is more or less symmetrical with liberal foliage in its youth; as it matures, it develops a small crown composed of a few large branches. Needles are in fasicles of fives, about 8 to 10 inches long. Foliage is light green or greenish-gray. Cones may remain on the tree for 15 years, dropping seeds yearly. This pine seems to be more smog tolerant than other pines. It is drought tolerant and long-lived. Does well in a garden or naturalized landscape
It occurs naturally at Torrey Pines and on Santa Rosa Island. It will grow to be about 30 or 60 feet tall, if not windswept. When a branch is broken off (by wind, for example), new needles will grow at the end of the broken branch in a tight cluster that is called a "witch's broom." The oldest Torrey pines are about 150 years old.
This tree is listed as rare or endangered in California. Because of low genetic variability, Torrey Pine has little capacity to respond to change through natural selection. Both the island and mainland populations of Torrey pine are threatened by air pollution.
The Torrey Pine forest is the only southern California coastal pine forest . Seeds of Torrey Pine are eaten by birds, rodents, and other mammals. The dusky-footed and desert woodrats consume large quantities of Torrey Pine seeds and may greatly reduce their numbers in the seedbank.
The seeds of this pine are edible.
Field Trips
Anza Borrego Caspers
Holy Jim Canyon Idyllwild
Joshua Tree Mt Palomar Rancho
Santa Ana Torrey Pines
Last update 04/05/07
Copyright © Jeanne Lepowsky 2004
