Wardholme Torrey Pine in Carpenteria
Recently I went on a mini road trip up the coast to Santa Ynez. The journey there was a quite a challenge with a wrong turn (made by me because I was chatting too much) and killer traffic. By the time we hit Carpinteria the car was low on gas and I was low on energy (and morale and patience. I was super frustrated). As I was pumping gas I looked across the street and saw an enormous tree. Super enormous. Like Sequoia enormous.
Curious, we all went to check it out and this is what it turned out to be.
From a little internet digging I discovered it is the largest Torrey Pine tree known to be in existence. It was planted as a seedling by one Judge Thomas Ward in 1888. He decided to plant it by his home, hence the name Wardholme (don’t ask me why the L is in there). So how big is it?
Pretty dang big! And it sure is beautiful.
Things like this tree are what road trips are all about. I’m so glad that I was low on gas in Carpenteria so I had a chance to visit this amazing specimen. If you’re ever in the area check it out. But don’t wear flip flops unless you want sap all over your feet. I learned that the hard way.
Oh, and by the way the historic landmark #1 is referring to the first one in Carpinteria. I thought it was the first landmark in California but the internet cleared it up.