In search of the rare and elusive nutmeg tree
With cool days and colder nights upon us here in California, ’tis the season for comfort foods and warm spicy drinks to keep our spirits cheerful. One of the holiday spices I tend to cheer for most is nutmeg, a spice quite universal in its appeal and one that is found in a great many holiday dishes and drinks. I’ve been so fond of nutmeg that I long ago graduated from pre-ground spice in a jar to grating my own nutmeg seeds; the flavor depth of fresh-ground nutmeg is so much more robust, so much more honest. There’s nothing like a perky palate pleaser to give life to your hot toddy, that’s for sure.
I wonder, though, how many of us know where nutmeg comes from? If you’re like me, you might be delighted to discover that the nutmeg is a very pretty tree. One species of that pretty tree grows right here in California.
The flowers and ultra-sharp needle-like leaves of the California nutmeg.
The California Nutmeg, California Torreya, is a member of the Yew family and is in fact quite rare and hard to find; nevertheless it is widely distributed in the mountains of central and northern California. In the coastal mountains, the species descends almost to the coastline; the eastern limit of its range is along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It rarely exceeds 70 feet in height, is found primarily in shady, densely-forested canyons and along mountain streams, and typically grows in mixed habitat with other conifers as secondary canopy. Because of its habitat and relative rarity, it can be difficult to find a nutmeg tree unless you know what you’re looking for.
The first time I noticed a California nutmeg tree I was actually a bit bamboozled; I had never been exposed to this tree in Dendrology class back at Humboldt State. What I saw in its waxy, dark green and opposite-paired needles resembled both a coast redwood and a fir of some sort. But when reaching for a branch-end to inspect it further, those needles were so sharp that they immediately drew blood! The scaly gray-brown bark, conical shape, and lack of fir or redwood cones on the ground nearby had me curious to find out more – to see if I could identify it after returning home.
I’ve since encountered nutmeg growing in small clusters along the slopes of Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, in occasional pockets among the thickly-forested slopes of the San Francisco peninsula, and even in the dry pygmy forests of the upper slopes of Mount St. Helena in Napa County. It also grows along the road entering Yosemite Valley from El Portal as well as along the cave trails of Sequoia and Kings Canyon parks. But that first nutmeg tree that I discovered still grows along the Zinfandel Trail adjacent to Picchetti Winery, and on subsequent visits I’ve been joyous to find others dotting the vicinity. Because it is rather rare, and because I wish to connect people with the useful native fruits of the land, I tend to point them out to my guests as we walk the trail.
You may be wondering if I’ve ever harvested the nutmeg seeds from these local trees for use in cooking. Well, while I regularly enjoy cooking with local flat-leaf sage and bay laurel, I must admit to never having used local nutmeg. My reasoning was originally rather simple: with such scarce distribution, I preferred to let these seeds remain in their natural home. Plus, these seeds take two seasons to mature, and drying them for use in the kitchen is a process requiring patience. Even then I’ve been tempted: when bruised or crushed, the aroma of the nutmeg’s fleshy, olive-like seed cone (really an aril) is strong, distinctive, and very enticing. When you smell it, it’s pretty clear why this tree is sometimes called Stinking Cedar.
Aside from relative scarcity, it is this pungent smell that is the real reason why California nutmeg pods are not harvested for culinary use. That distinction belongs to another variety of nutmeg tree farmed in the West Indies. Myristica fragrans, a member of the Magnolia family, is a broad-leafed species that yields the aromatic nutmeg scent and flavor that we have grown fond of. The fruit of the evergreen California variety, on the other hand, smells strongly like bay laurel.
Not quite what we want in our eggnogs and fondues!
When you’re a pre-20th century native American living off the land, however, you use what grows around you. While local tribes did use California nutmeg in food preparation, they were just as apt to use its supple wood for making hunting bows. It’s interesting, too, to note that the needles of the California nutmeg, being rather stiff and, attestably, quite sharp, were used by native Americans for tattooing! In later times, taxol, a substance isolated from the California nutmeg, was once found to be of interest in treating cancer; however, the tree’s scarcity was a major dilemma in taxol’s manufacture and distribution. Fortunately this dilemma was resolved by the successful synthesis of taxol.
For years, I’ve found it simply amazing to step beyond merely noticing the plants that grow around us to, in turn, discover their uses and characteristics. Establishing such connections to the nature that surrounds us, however, can require study and even take a lifetime to appreciate; it can be difficult for many folks to figure out how or where to start.
That’s why a guide who knows native plants and their interrelationships can play a key role in fulfilling your enjoyment of the wild places. If you come away remembering only one thing about your nature experience, you might find yourself telling your friends about what you learned. You may also find yourself curious to know more.
Suddenly you’re no longer an armchair traveler. Like comfort food, natural knowledge is therapy for the soul.
One thing’s for certain: if you should someday join me on the trail and there’s a California nutmeg tree to be found, I’ll be pointing it out to you. Hopefully not too sharply!
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