Taxonomy

Division:

Coniferophyta | - Conifers

Family:

Pinaceae

Genus:

Pinus

Species:

Pinus torreyana

USDA Symbol:

PITO

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

1500 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

jan,feb,mar

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Mature trees can survive low-intensity fires due to thick bark; resprouts from basal buds if top-killed when young.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to coastal bluffs and sandy soils

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily after cold stratification; fresh seed has higher viability.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI