Japanese Nutmeg-yew (Torreya nucifera) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Japanese nutmeg-yew is a slow-growing evergreen conifer from Japan and southern South Korea whose wood makes the most prized Go and shogi boards in Japan. It looks a lot like a yew, but its needles end in a sharp spine and its seeds ripen inside a fleshy green coat instead of a red cup. It does not grow wild in the US but is planted in some arboretums and gardens, and it is also known by its Japanese name, kaya.

Appearance

Appearance: In Japan it grows 50–80 ft (15–25 m) tall, with a trunk up to 5 ft (1.5 m) across. Garden plants outside Japan are often shrubby.
Leaves: Flat needles 3/4–1 1/4 in (2–3 cm) long, very dark glossy green above with two whitish bands below, ending in a stiff, sharp point. They spread in two flat rows along the shoot.
Fruit: Seed cones take about 18 months to ripen into a single elliptical seed, about 3/4–1 in (2–3 cm) long including its fleshy green coat, which may turn purplish.

Look-alikes

YewsTaxus

Yew needles are not sharp-tipped, and yew seeds sit in a bright red, open cup. Nutmeg-yew needles prick your hand, and its seeds are fully enclosed in a green fruit.

Why they get mixed upIn gardens it often grows into a yew-like shrub.

Japanese plum yewCephalotaxus harringtonia

Plum yew needles are soft and do not hurt when you touch them. Japanese nutmeg-yew needles are stiff and end in a sharp spine that pricks.

Why they get mixed upBoth have flat needles in two rows along the shoot, and plum yew is a common landscape shrub in the US.

California nutmegTorreya californica

California nutmeg has longer, less glossy needles. Japanese nutmeg-yew has shorter, glossier needles that point downward.

Why they get mixed upBoth are nutmeg-yews grown in American gardens and arboretums.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Moist, shady forests
Arboretums and gardens
Range: Native to central and southern Japan and to Jeju Island and the southern coast of South Korea. It does not grow wild in the US, but you can see it in arboretums such as the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle and Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia.
Preferred conditions: In the wild it grows in mixed broadleaf and conifer forests and favors moist, heavily shaded sites.

Life cycle

Reproduction: Trees are mostly male or mostly female, though many carry a few cones of the other sex.

Growing it

Care: Hardy to about USDA zone 6 or 7. It prefers partial shade and slightly acidic soil that does not dry out.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
Status: Past overcutting for its valuable wood made the tree scarce in Japan, where it is now protected.

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: In Japan the seeds are roasted and eaten, or pressed into a mild, nutty oil that is prized for tempura.
Because true kaya is so costly, cheaper imitation Go boards made from spruce are sold as "shin-kaya."