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Florida Torreya at
Shoal Sanctuary (Florida Panhandle)
(Unusual health of an "experimental population" 80 miles west of native range)
Shoal Sanctuary is located in northern Walton County Florida in the community of Mossy Head. It is approximately 5 miles from exit 70 on I-10. 1475 Crowder Chapel Road, Mossy Head, FL 32434. Call for reservations: (850) 651-0392.
More about VISITING SHOAL SANCTUARY
LEARNINGS
Why Shoal Sanctuary is superb for Torreyas
1. UPLAND HABITAT: Torreyas can be healthy in sandy soils if IRRIGATION NEVER FAILS.
2. UPLAND HABITAT: CLEARING VEGETATION to ensure full sun will produce dense, tall torreyas.
3. UPLAND HABITAT: LIMING (periodically) may be essential in pine-rich landscapes.
4. GROTTO HABITAT: STEEPHEAD RAVINES offer ideal moisture, cool, and absence of competition.
5. RAVINE HABITAT: Even gentle ravines of creeks may be good if torreyas are LOW ON THE SLOPE.
6. GROWTH FLEXIBILITY: Torreyas evolved as UNDERSTORY EVERGREEN TREES adapted to grow slowly in even deep shade. They trend toward more lateral growth in quest of sunlight. Absent human assistance in clearing overstory vegetation, they would never be able to adopt and maintain a dense, Christmas-tree form. They can, however, live for a very long time. (See the Natural History page on this website.)
7. ROLE OF BASAL SPROUTS: If the apical leader is injured or removed, it will not be replaced. Instead, one or more BASAL SPROUTS will rapidly grow upward to take its place. (See the "Burn Tree" example.)
• MYSTERY QUESTION: Why are all torreyas at Shoal Sanctuary FREE OF HERBIVORY? What are the causes? And what does that teach us about finding other IDEAL SITES FOR EXPERIMENTAL POPULATIONS?
LOCAL NEWS REPORT excerpt:
Recorded history of the land dates back to the 1830s. The property is believed to of been along the path of the "Trail Of Tears." After the U.S. government's "Indian Removal Act," Cherokee, Seminole, Creek, Timuquan, Muskhogean, and Apalachee were forced migrate west, and lore sites a leg of that journey along the old Indian footpath now called Crowder Chapel Road near the retreat. Local Native Americans have said that Shoal Sanctuary was once a ceremonial gathering place.
In 2000, the Larsons acquired 35 acres of land adjacent to their existing 16-acre property, and began a reforestation project blazing trails and developed the retreat along their Shoal river property. Long-leaf pine, ash magnolia, Florida Torreya and other native trees have been planted to restore the land, as the Larsons participate in Florida's Forest Stewardship program
In 2020, the nature preserve expanded from 50 to 115 acres of riverfront with pristine, old growth trees, white sandy beaches, steep majestic cliffs, and three additional freshwater ravines. [Freshwater ravines are ideal cool microsites for Torreya.]
UPLAND, GROTTO, and CHRYSEMYS CREEK
Planting Sites of Florida Torreya at Shoal Sanctuary
1. Upland
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The flat uplands of Shoal Sanctuary are managed for LONG-LEAF PINE and GOPHER TORTOISE. In 2000, 14,000 pine seedlings were planted. In 2001, 4 potted seedlings of FLORIDA TORREYA were planted in cleared areas.
Maintenance of torreya health here requires (1) irrigation maintenance, (2) clearing of competing vegetation, (3) protection from fire during the controlled burns, and (4) occasional application of agricultural lime when any evergreen leaves begin to turn yellow.
Torreya in 2001 = 4 potted seedlings. In 2025, just 2 remain (but both are in good health).
LEFT: Chris Larson with the "Totem" torreya tree, 2019.
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2. Grotto
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The Grotto begins a classic steephead ravine with moss-covered sandstone walls and a small waterfall at its head (photo left).
In February 2015, Connie Barlow delivered 40 torreya seeds to Chris Larson, which were among the 7,000 seeds donated to Torreya Guardians autumn 2014 from the otherwise uncollected seed production at the Blairsville, Georgia, ex situ orchard.
In March 2015, the 2 owners and church children planted 20 of those seeds into flagged locations that Connie had marked out in Grotto Ravine. In 2019, 5 of the 20 were documented. In 2025, the same 5 were documented again.
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3. Chrysemys Creek
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Chris Larson reports that the property includes 5 ravines that have some steep slopes ideal for torreya's needs for cool and moist habitat.
In March 2015 scouts arrived and made their own site choices for planting the remaining 20 seeds down in the ravines: mostly Chrysemys Creek (which is visible in the bottom right corner of the photo).
January 2019, Connie Barlow video-recorded the sites where Chris had recently found a total of 5 seedlings (photo left). By then, 1 had disappeared on a very steep slope, and thus 4 remained. January 2025, only a few sites were searched, with photo-documentation of 3 seedlings.
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• Advance to 1. UPLAND section
• Advance to 2. GROTTO section
• Advance to 3. CHRYSEMYS CREEK section
4 VIDEOS of Shoal Sanctuary Torreyas
by Connie Barlow (February 2015 and January 2019
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VIDEO 2015-A: Torreya Trees at Shoal Sanctuary FL: Four Torreyas on Sandy Uplands
Chris Larson shows the 4 UPLAND Torreya trees thriving since their planting in 2001. Of note: (1) only one tree has grown reproductive structures (male); (2) one survived a severe burn amid the longleaf pines; (3) all are thriving in nearly full sunlight on sandy soils; (4) agricultural lime is applied only rarely (when the evergreen leaves show yellowing); and (5) all four specimens are watered twice weekly.
10 minutes - published February 17, 2015. |
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VIDEO 2015-B: Torreya Trees at Shoal Sanctuary FL: Grotto Ravine (preparing to plant seeds)
Connie Barlow identifies sites for 18 seeds of Torreya taxifolia to be planted in the moist, cool habitat of Grotto Ravine, within Shoal Sanctuary, Florida. Connie walks with camera through the ravine, speaking about why this spring-fed sandstone ravine in the Florida panhandle might be the best place for Florida Torreya to make a last stand in its home state.
28 minutes - published February 21, 2015. |
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VIDEO 2019 - 31a: Freeplanting Torreya Seeds - Shoal Sanctuary FL pt 1 of 2
Site visit to Shoal Sanctuary, due west of Torreya's peak glacial refuge in northern Florida. Documentation of 5 seedlings thriving (and remarkably free of herbivory) four years after a total of 20 seeds were placed directly into the coolest, moistest habitat: Grotto Ravine. 24 minutes - filmed January 30, 2019 |
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31b: Shoal Sanctuary FL pt 2 of 2
Documentation of 3 seedlings filmed four years after their seeds were planted directly into forested sites along Chrysemys Creek. Then summarizes the results and offers topics for further study — notably, why herbivory was absent at all planting sites. The evergreen Christmas Ferns are pointed out as ideal neighbors for (1) camouflage, (2) its "endo" mycorrhizal network, and (3) as an "indicator species" for identifying best microsites for Torreya.
31 minutes - filmed January 30, 2019
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LEARNINGS
Why Shoal Sanctuary is superb for Torreyas
1. UPLAND HABITAT: Torreyas can be healthy in sandy soils if IRRIGATION NEVER FAILS.
2. UPLAND HABITAT: CLEARING VEGETATION to ensure full sun will produce dense, tall torreyas.
3. UPLAND HABITAT: LIMING (periodically) may be essential in pine-rich landscapes.
4. GROTTO HABITAT: STEEPHEAD RAVINES offer ideal moisture, cool, and absence of competition.
5. RAVINE HABITAT: Even gentle ravines of creeks may be good if torreyas are LOW ON THE SLOPE.
6. GROWTH FLEXIBILITY: Torreyas evolved as UNDERSTORY EVERGREEN TREES adapted to grow slowly in even deep shade. They trend toward more lateral growth in quest of sunlight. Absent human assistance in clearing overstory vegetation, they would never be able to adopt and maintain a dense, Christmas-tree form. They can, however, live for a very long time. (See the Natural History page on this website.)
7. ROLE OF BASAL SPROUTS: If the apical leader is injured or removed, it will not be replaced. Instead, one or more BASAL SPROUTS will rapidly grow upward to take its place. (See the "Burn Tree" example.)
• MYSTERY QUESTION: Why are all torreyas at Shoal Sanctuary FREE OF HERBIVORY? What are the causes? And what does that teach us about finding other IDEAL SITES FOR EXPERIMENTAL POPULATIONS?
1. UPLAND Section
4 torreyas from potted seedlings planted in 2001
(all are on automatic irrigation; they would otherwise die in their full-sun habitat)
"Gazebo" Tree
GAZEBO TREE in January 2025
(Left photo by Joseph Guite; Clint Bancroft in photo. Right photo by Clint Bancroft.)
CLINT BANCROFT REPORTS: "Gazebo Torreya is the largest torreya. It is very healthy. We estimate about 14 or so feet tall. Dijon (Joseph Guite) found male structures but they seemed to be on a single limb on the north-facing side of the tree."
ABOVE: Rotated view of the branch with male pollen buds.
Earlier photos of GAZEBO TREE:
ABOVE LEFT COLUMN: November 2007 - This individual is expressing a lot of yellowed leaves. So when Connie Barlow visited the site in November 2007, she sprinkled agricultural lime around the base of the tree, which she learned to do during her visit in 2005 to the Atlanta Botanical Garden propagation center. Click here to learn about how "sudden oak death" is being fought in California by the use of lime around sickened oak trees.
ABOVE RIGHT: 2013 - Liming seems to have made the difference. Gazebo Tree looks very healthy.
"Burn" Tree
BURN TREE in January 2025 (photos by Clint Bancroft)
Photo at right left includes Joseph Guite. At right is the single basal sprout.
JOSEPH GUITE (pictured above left) reports on the BURN TREE in 2025: "The Burn Torreya lost its apical bud at some point, & someone pruned it off at ~6ft (it was cut clean). The tallest remaining branches are at least 7ft tall. Its relatively small stature made looking for reproductive buds easy, but we didn't find any."
CLINT BANCROFT reports reports on the BURN TREE in 2025: "Burn Tree has a very large basal sprout, just one, and it is over 3 feet tall by quesstimate. The sprout is very vigorous, and it only occurred to me later that it is establishing a new trunk because there is not a clear leader on the rest of the Burn tree."
CONNIE BARLOW concurs: My experience (especially with the Biltmore torreyas post-hurricane in 2006) suggests that whenever a torreya loses its leader, it maintains the existing stem for photosynthesis but immediately shoots upward one or more basal sprouts that will eventually reach the current top and then keep heading upward.
Earlier photos of BURN TREE:
ABOVE LEFT: Landowner Chris Larson stands by a Torreya taxifolia that she planted in 2001 from a potted seedling. Chris and her husband own the Shoal Sanctuary in the Florida Panhandle (west of the Apalachicola). Because they are managing the sanctuary for native diversity (including burning to encourage longleaf pine), this particular individual was completely denuded in a prairie fire in January 2007. She thought the leafless tree surely was dead, but just 10 months later, in November 2007 notice the rich growth! Chris is standing on the side of the tree that received the most intense flame, and thus the branch she holds in her right hand (and those immediately below it) are still denuded, and thus were killed.
ABOVE MIDDLE: 15 months post-burn, April 2008, the tree is lopsided but recovering well from the fire.
ABOVE RIGHT: 2013, Robert Allen Larson with Burn Tree.
March 2015 controlled burn
of Longleaf Pine forest
near Burn Tree
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PHOTOS IMMEDIATELY ABOVE: At left, Chris Larson stands with fire crew as the successful burn smokes out. At right, notice the gray charred ground that was the firebreak protecting Burn Tree.
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"Lost-and-Found" Tree
By Connie's visit in 2019, the "Lost-and-Found Tree" was reported as dead. Speculation is that the death was possibly from rodent tunneling damage.
Earlier photos of LOST-AND-FOUND TREE:
CHRIS LARSON TELLS THE NAMING STORY: "Lost-and-found tree was presumed dead, so it was forgotten. But then we rediscovered it!. We began by clearing around it. Then used a chain saw to reduce the taller overstory."
ABOVE LEFT is 2013: Robert Allen Larson removes invasive plants from the area of the "Lost & Found" Torreya taxifolia tree.
ABOVE RIGHT is March 2015: Although this densely vegetated area is not scheduled to be burned for longleaf pine management, a "caution" ribbon was draped over this Torreya in advance of the March 2015 controlled burn, which took place elsewhere on the property.
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"Totem Pole" Tree
ABOVE LEFT: November 2007 Connie Barlow and husband Michael Dowd admire one of the Shoal Sanctuary Torreya trees planted in 2001. Although this one appears lush, a few of the branches on the western side of the tree are yellowing. Owner Chris Larsen reports that 3 of the original 8 individuals planted in 2001 yellowed and died, so this one may be on its way out.
ABOVE CENTER: The same tree one month later, December 2007.
ABOVE RIGHT: The same tree in April 2008, with foliage fully recovered.
ABOVE LEFT COLUMN: MAY 2009 - Celebrating a lush and healthy "Totem Pole" Tree in a Florida rain.
ABOVE CENTER: SPRING 2013 - It's a boy! Totem Pole Tree produces male cones for wind dispersal of pollen. (Male cones are produced well interior of the branchlet tips; female cones are at the branchlet tips of female trees.)
By the time of Torreya Guardians visit January 2025, Totem Pole Tree was DEAD.
The cause of death was not reported, but failure of the automatic irrigation system during a hot, dry summmer could result in death. Notably, the team reported NO STEM CANKERS or other visible signs of disease on the remaining 2 UPLAND TREES.
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2. GROTTO Section
Children Plant Torreya Seeds into GROTTO Ravine
(March 2015)
During 2 weekends MARCH 2015, the Larsons supervised children from a nearby church and a scout troop in planting torreya seeds directly into RAVINE HABITATS.
PHOTO BELOW: Three children are exploring the very beginning of the STEEPHEAD RAVINE, which is the deepest, darkest part of the Shoal Sanctuary property. Unlike in the UPLAND, none of the torreyas will ever be artificially watered down here.
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Shade is so intense here that even after 8 or 9 years of growth, and the seeming absence of leaf herbivory, the seedlings are all still small.
Genus torreya is adapted for many centuries of subcanopy persistence.
But when humans keep competing vegetation cut away in the upland, the sunlight shapes a relatively fast-growing, dense Christmas-tree shape — as seen in the preceding UPLAND section.
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• PHOTO-ESSAY: Children Plant Seeds of Endangered Tree at Shoal Sanctuary
In March 2015 Chris Larson organized groups of scout, church, and other youth to plant seeds of Torreya taxifolia that were donated for this purpose by Torreya Guardians. Click for Full-page photo-essay.
Because Robert Larson is a sculptor (and Shoal Sanctuary began as a sculpture garden in the forest), all seedlings are marked by a carved stone with runes lettering — and usually a pinwheel to frighten the herbivores!
BELOW ARE THE 5 SEEDLINGS DOCUMENTED IN 2019 and 2025
"ISAIAH" in January 2025 was planted March 2015
by 61-year-old Christina Larson (property co-owner).
BELOW: Isaiah in January 2019
"NEW HOPE" in January 2025 was planted March 2015
by 78-year-old Robert Larson (property co-owners)
BELOW: New Hope in January 2019
"EVAN" in January 2025 (left) was planted March 2015
by 10-year-old Evan (right)
BELOW: Chris pointing to Evan January 2019, with closeup right
"FOSSIL" in January 2025 (left) and 2019 (right)
was planted March 2015 by 8-year-old Olivia (below)
"DINO" in January 2025 was planted March 2015
by 6-year-old Kyle (below DINO in January 2019)
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3. CHRYSEMYS Creek Section
Children Plant Torreya Seeds into sloping ravines
(March 2015)
BELOW ARE THE 4 SEEDLINGS DOCUMENTED IN 2019 and/or 2025
"TARANTULA" in January 2025 was planted March 2015
by 3-year-old David, pictured here with his dad Chris Demers
(who is University of Florida Forestry Stewardship Coordinator).
ABOVE are 2 photos January 2019: Chris at Tarantula marker and close-up.
BELOW are 2 photos Chris took in March 2024.
"TREK" in January 2019 was planted March 2015
by 8-year-old Bowen
"CEFUS" in January 2025 was planted March 2015
by 7-year-old Beau (below is 2019 photo).
"GROW TALL" in January 2025 was planted March 2015
by 9-year-old Ian
(at the confluence of By Gorge and Glenn Glen Creek, at the beginning of Chrysemys Creek).
BELOW are 2 photos from January 2019.
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Long-form essay places Florida Torreya
in context of people, place, and history
April 2021
SHOAL SANCTUARY is one of the torreya sanctuaries featured in this literary essay:
"This Is Paradise", by writer Martha Park, was published in the April issue of The Bitter Southerner. It is beautifully written and has superb illustrations, including ...
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PHOTO LEFT: "Chris Larson admires a Torreya tree at her property at Mossy Head."
The tagline summary of the essay:
"The rare Florida torreya tree grows only in the wild along a narrow stretch of the Apalachicola River. In the 1950s an eccentric lawyer named E.E. Callaway declared it was the gopher wood tree from which Noah's Ark was built. Today the Florida torreya is on the brink of extinction. Can the story of this tree and the people who love it help bridge the gap between science and faith?"
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