Native: southwestern Oregon, California Coast Ranges, lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada

General Notes:

An Umbellularia californica in Mendocino County is registered as a California Big Tree. It measures 108 feet high, with a trunk circumference of 536 inches and a crown spread of 119 feet.

Tree Characteristics

  • Shape: Irregular (varies depending on where it is grown)
  • Foliage: Lance shaped, medium to deep yellow-green, glossy
  • Height: 20-25 ft
  • Width: 20-25 ft
  • Flowers: Shiny, yellow, flowers in spring
  • Fruit: olive-like, purplish, fruit.
  • Shading Capacity: Very Dense
  • Litter Issue: wet Fruit

Tree Site Condition & Constraints

  • Zones: Sunset 4-9, 14-24, USDA Hardiness 7 - 9
  • Exposure: Sun or Shade

Pests & Disease Information

  • Resistant: Verticillium.
  • Susceptible: Beetle Borers, Leaf Miner, Cottony Cushion Scale and Beetle Leaves, Sudden Oak Death, Anthracnose, White Mottled Rot and Sooty Mold.

Health, Safety & Environmental Concerns

  • Branch Strength: Strong.
  • Root Damage Potential: Moderate.
  • Health Hazard: Allergy
  • Biogenic Emissions: Moderate.

Sources:

SelecTree. "Umbellularia californica Tree Record." 1995-2018. Feb 23, 2018. < https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/umbellularia-californica >

The Editors of Sunset (2012) The New Sunset Western Garden Book New York, New York: Sunset Books Inc

 

Updated: June 20, 2023