Pinus torreyana
The Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana) is a broad, open-crowned pine with 20-35cm long leaves ('needles') in groups of five. The cones are stout and heavy, typically 8-15cm long and broad, and contain large, hard-shelled, but edible, pine nuts.
The Torrey pine is the rarest pine in the United States. The wild population is restricted to about 7,000 trees growing in a narrow strip along the California coast in San Diego. There is also a population of a variety (Pinus torreyana var. insularis) in a single grove on Santa Rosa Island, off the coast of Santa Barbara. This variety, if considered alone, was one of the rarest pines in the world, at about 100 trees, in the early 20th century. However, the population has grown to about 2000 trees today. (The critically endangered Pinus squamata in southwest China is probably the rarest pine today at about 20 trees.) Despite its rarity, the Torrey pine is not endangered. It is widely planted as an ornamental, especially in San Diego County where it is a local icon, lending its name to Torrey Pines State Reserve and Torrey Pines Golf Course (home of the PGA TOUR Buick Invitational), as well as roads, businesses, schools, parks, beaches and a gliderport.
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| A Torrey pine in its harsh native habitat |
In its native range the Torrey pine grows slowly in the dry sandy soil. The root system is extensive; a tiny seedling may send a taproot down 60 cm seeking moisture and nutrients and a mature tree may have roots extending 75 m. Trees in the wild, battered by coastal winds, are often twisted into beautiful shapes resembling bonsai, and rarely exceed 12 m tall. However, when cultivated away from the coastal winds, in good soil and with higher rainfall, the trees grow rapidly, tall and straight up to 40 m.
The seeds were an important food for the Kumeyaay tribe of Native American people. The Torrey pine has also been tested as a commercial forestry crop in Kenya, Australia and New Zealand. However, the wood is brittle, rots easily and does not burn well.
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