Wardholme Torrey Pine Carpinteria California 16 Editorial Image

This Wardholme Torrey Pine found in the very pleasant coastal community of Carpinteria California has a very interesting story of its own, on its way to becoming the states very first Historic Landmark. The Torrey Pine, Pinus torreyana, is native to the San Diego area, this one was originally a small sapling when Judge Thomas Ward brought it from Santa Rosa Island, one of the largest Channel Islands off of Santa Barbara California, and planted it on his yard in 1888. Upon Thomas's death, his wife Florence inherited the tree and continued caring for it every day. When she realized it was now the largest in the area, to help protect it, she contacted the state to have it become an historic monument. The state agreed, giving it official historic landmark status in 1968. As seen 26 September 2023 where it now stands 126f 38.4m tall with a diameter of more then 20f 6m and the branches covering 130f 39.6m.