All about Yews

Taxus baccata is the Latin name for the European Yew family. It is native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. Different hybrids and subspecies take on different shapes. Some are designed to grow tall and thinner, while others are designed to stay short and shrub-like. However, exceptional tree specimens are the fairytale icons that can grow up to 90+ feet fall and a trunk nearly 7 feet.

The tree form of yews are unique in that they hollow as they age, thus rendering it impossible to accurately determine the age of a tree. Despite of this, the yew has a long and varied history. It is well known that the trees have been used for some of the finest wooden bows, but the arils can also, apparently, be made into jams and preserves or brewed into wine . More surprisingly, however, would likely be the early use of yew extracts used as a reliable, efficient, and renewable source of bio-pharmaceuticals .

A word of caution: All parts of this breath-taking plant are poisonous, except the red berry. However, the seed that grows and matures inside the berry is also poisonous, and not safe to eat . Make sure you tell your kids not to snack on it!

Yews are known for their dense, dark green foliage. New foliage at the tips are a lighter, yellow-green that darken within a season to this darker state of it’s mature foliage. This, combined with their easy care and slow growth, makes them ideal for hedges and topiaries. As noted, yews do produce arils, which are the red berry-like fruits covering the seeds on the plants. Depending on the cultivar, these appear mid to late summer, and lend a burst of colour to the plant that lasts until late fall.

Yews are quite possibly one of the most varied types of plants you can find. With hundreds of cultivars to choose from, you can pick anywhere from tall and thin to short and round. Yews may be left unmanaged for a slightly wilder look, or they can be trimmed once a year for a manicured touch. Take a look at the gallery below the information tabs for a few ideas of how yews have been used in landscaping.

Ancient Greek botonist, Theophrastus, described the yew as a having a preference for the mountain cool, shade, and growing slowly .

Zone

While there are some variants, most yews are hardy in zones 4 – 7 provided they receive some shelter from the coldest of winters. Some plants may experience frost burn, so check the particular cultivar you want to purchase to be sure of it’s winter needs.

Sun

Yews are wonderfully versatile and can take full sun to a nearly deep shade. They cannot tolerate full shade, though, so don’t put them in an area that receives very little sun. They will do well in areas that are dappled light all day long provided there are not long periods of only shade.

Soil

Yews prefer a neutral pH and well draining soils.

Water

Yews, like many other evergreens, do not like wet feet. They will do decently in slow draining soils provided their roots are allowed to dry thoroughly between waterings.

Maintenance:

Yews are relatively slow growers, which means that it needs to be clipped only once per year (in late summer) to keep it well manicured. However, you can go for a few years before some of the low, spreading habits need to be pruned to keep them under control.