Historical records of such sites are sparse, but a few are known. California torreya is sometimes planted as an ornamental, but the disagreeable odor of the needles detracts from its desirability. The seed oil has potential use in cooking, being similar in quality to olive and pine-nut oils. Seeds of a related Asian species, Torreya nucifera, are harvested in Japan for rendering into high-quality cooking oil. The seeds were a highly esteemed food of California Indians.
Needles persist for many years.
Male California torreya bear their microsporophylls within strobili. Seed production is erratic. In one study, seeds stratified for 3 months before planting took an additional 9 months to germinate under greenhouse conditions. Ninety-two percent of seedlings germinated at that time. Temperature regimes during the stratification period were not noted.