Shade tree. It is known for its smooth light gray bark. Its leaves turn yellow and then light brown remaining on the tree until nearly spring and providing interest to the winter landscape. If you are privileged to have this tree in the landscape, retain and protect it.

Use in moist areas as a wildflower. It is semi-woody, and if given adequate moisture can be a specimen plant.

Wildflower in moist garden, edge of water garden, understory plant in wet woods or stream edges

The range of this species barely makes it into north Florida but extends north to southern Canada. Shade tree.

Foliage when crushed smells like citrus. This small tree has an elegant appearance that makes it suited to use as a specimen plant. The glossy evergreen foliage makes this small tree also make it effective as a screen or barrier plant.

Fragrant flowers and crushed foliage smells like limes. Dioecious: male and female flowers are on separate plants. Hedge, buffer or screen plant where its thorns will be an asset. Foliage is aromatic.  This author has one growing as a specimen plant and loves its shape and the shiny green rather lacey foliage.

Endemic.  This plant is listed as endangered by the State of Florida. Harvesting and transporting from the wild require landowner permission and may require a permit from the state. Please acquire through a reputable native plant nursery. Wildflower garden, groundcover. Would also work well as a mass planting. Can be grown in containers.

Grow as an emergent along pond or lake edges or in aquatic gardens.

Rarely grown but worthy of consideration for moist areas. Poisonous and nectar may be toxic to some insects. Grow on support or up a tree in moist areas. Can make a good screen on a fence.

In the wild, Torreya is dying out due to disease. If choosing to plant this species, obtain disease-free (out-of-state) specimens and plant well-removed from the Apalachicola River so that the planted specimens will not become infected. This is a federally endangered species, it cannot be transplanted or transported without landowner permission and/or appropriate permits. There are also issues with planting this since the disease is easily transmittable (Chapman 2019).  Bottom line, this is not something to do without consulting conservation specialists. To participate in FNPS restoration and protection efforts for this species, see http://torreyakeepers.fnps.org. Specimen tree.

Occurs naturally at the edges of wooded areas and creates a hedge-like appearance.

Listed as Endangered in Florida.  Please follow all State requirements for growing and transporting this species. Best used as a shoreline plant in the Sand Hill Lakes region of Bay and Washington counties. Treat as a thin, lacy background plant with shiny bark.