Taxus cuspidata

Japanese yew is a hardy plant with tons of uses in residential and commercial landscapes.

The native range of Taxus cuspidata is Japan, Korea and Manchuria, where it grows to 50 feet tall. In North America, it is usually grown as a compact, spreading shrub.

Fine-textured needles are 1/2 to 1 inch long, dark green on top and tinged yellowish beneath, usually arranged in two rows along the twigs, making a flat or V-shaped spray.

The attractive bark is reddish-brown and exfoliating. Fruits are red and tiny yet showy. The plant is dioecious, so fruits are produced only by female plants. Most cultivars hang on to their fruit through winter.

Cultivars

Some cultivars worth noting:

'Aurescens.' Dwarf, 1 foot tall, spreading to 3 feet; young shoots are yellowish.

'Capitata.' Upright, pyramidal form; dense growth to 10-25 feet, possibly taller; can be held lower by pinching new growth.

'Densa.' Low, about 4 feet tall, spreads to 8 feet; good fruit production.

Emerald Spreader ('Monloo'). A Monrovia Growers introduction that reaches 30 inches tall and 8-10 feet wide; retains dark-green color in winter; red berries in winter.

'Expansa.' Vase shaped; twice as tall as wide.

'Nana.' Dwarf with strong fruiting; makes a good low barrier or foundation plant for many years. Sometimes sold as T. brevifolia.

'Thayerae.' Spreading with almost horizontal branching.

Cultural tips

Japanese yew is extremely adaptable. It thrives in sun or shade and prefers a moist, sandy loam. Plants tolerate city conditions and extensive pruning, plus they're pH adaptable. Regular to moderate watering is required; poor soil drainage will doom this plant.

Prune plants as desired to thicken or shape them. They may be sheared into shapes (topiary)or left unclipped for a loose and informal look.

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Specifics

Name: Taxus cuspidate

Common name: Japanese yew.

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 4b-7b.

Family: Taxaceae.

Description: Broadly spreading evergreen shrub or small tree with fine-textured, dark-green foliage and red winter berries.

Landscape uses: Screen, hedge, specimen, foundation, border.

- Kevin Neal

Photo courtesy of Monrovia Growers