Torreya taxifolia at Brasher Springs (Etowah County) Northeast ALABAMA private landowner, Larry Brasher ABOVE: Larry Brasher with his two remaining torreyas in November 2025. He writes, "These two Torreyas are located just 50-75 feet from the family house in the edge of a one-and-a-half acre patch of old-growth mixed hardwoods. Editor's note: The photos above indicate superb vertical growth rate, despite siting beneath a hardwood forest canopy. Larry suggests that "they probably photosynthesize all winter" — which you can see in the November photos above do offer close to full sun. As well, Larry writes, "The site is in the larger area of Greasy Cove, which some weather experts think may be the coldest spot in Alabama." Chronological Reports • JULY 2020: In 2014 I planted 9 potted torreyas that were from 3 to 6 inches tall. Several that were in full sun died from heat & light by the end of the first summer. One that I planted on a west-facing slope had full AM sun, but had afternoon shade from a cedar 15 feet away. That one thrived. It had a lovely full form and was growing upwards of 3 feet. But a year ago, the voles ate the roots and it died.     So I rescued two of the 10-inch torreyas from the full sun site, and transplanted them to within 3 feet of the one that did so well near the cedar. I also put a ring of hardware cloth about 5 inches into the ground around each to discourage voles. Those two are now both growing very well — full form and about 2 feet tall now.     Last winter I planted two more [PHOTOS ABOVE IN 2025] that were each about two feet tall. I planted them into the edge of the woods, and they are shaded all day during the summers. They are doing very well with lots of new growth. • July 2024: The two torreyas that I planted into the woods edge 4 years ago are doing very well. They are now about 5 feet tall with lots of limbs and very vigorous. The torreyas I planted 10 years ago out in the open all died within 4 years. Some died from heat/sun. Others died from voles eating them just below ground. So far, no vole damage on the 2 in the woods. The trees really stick you when you try to remove fallen limbs from the hardwoods above! No deer herbivory. • APRIL 2025: The two torreyas are now about 6 feet tall. They are under hardwood canopy all day. For good or for ill, they are surrounded by Vinca major, an invasive periwinkle, but it doesn't seem to slow the Torreya down at all. I might like to supplement these two with torreya seeds to plant in the cool old-growth hardwood hollow downslope of the two trees. Only trouble is we now have pretty bad deer predation, and it is all I can do to keep my garden and fruit trees caged. The two 6-foot trees have no deer browse; the needles too sharp. I never caged any of my torreya plantings, and saw no evident browse damage. • JULY 2025: The pair of torreyas are still doing very well in the edge of the woods. This is in contrast to the potted seedlings I started with some 10 years ago that were planted out in the open. They all died within 4 years. Some died from heat/sun. Others died from voles eating them just below ground. So far, no vole damage on the 2 in the woods. The trees really stick you when you try to remove fallen limbs from the hardwoods above! No deer herbivory. • NOVEMBER 2025: My two trees in the edge of the woods at Clear Creek, Etowah County, AL, are doing great! [PHOTOS ABOVE AND BELOW.] • JANUARY 2026: Alas, I looked today, and one of the trees has been partially hit by voles. Definitely the roots on one side. Some of the inner needles on the tree are yellow. The other tree is solid (no voles) and all needles deep green. That led me to encircle each of the torreyas with six-inch diameter hardware collars. I also pushed down a layer of coarse gravel/stones some 2 to 4 inches, both inside and outside the hardware cloth. Because of the roots, I was only able to sink the hardware cloth about half an inch below the soil surface. Maybe this new installation will discourage further vole activity. Over the years I've lost other Torreya and young apple trees to voles. They seem to attack randomly. BELOW: The two torreyas under hardwood canopy in November 2025 are surrounded by an evergreen invasive periwinkle.    EDITOR'S NOTE: I queried Larry in January 2026, trying to figure out why voles have been so destructive at his site. There is NO BIRD FEEDER anywhere nearby (which can expand vole populations). He doesn't mulch around the torreyas, nor remove natural leaf-fall from the canopy. What about the INVASIVE PERIWINKLE? Might that attract rodents looking for safe runways and burrows? Apparently not. Larry reports that tree plantings in the large mowed area off to the right of this photo have also experienced vole damage: "I planted a white pine 200 feet away from the Torreyas in the mowed field (no Vinca there), but the voles killed it. Also, the apple trees that over the years have been killed by voles were in the same open field, far from the Torreyas." The only remaining possible cause of severe vole damage that I (Connie Barlow) can think of is that there are OAKS in the forest. Thus vole populations would increase during large crops of acorns (masting years), then face starvation following weak acorn crops. However, torreya plantings by other volunteers have also had nearby oaks, without such persistent vole damage. The mystery remains. WWW www.TorreyaGuardians.org Return to HOME PAGE