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| Taxus baccata
English yewCulture: Adaptable to most light and soil pH conditions, the yews tolerate acidic or alkaline soils and full sun to fairly dense shade. Like other yew species, they need good moisture but cannot tolerate poorly drained sites. Their tolerance of shearing has made them the subject of topiary and sheared hedges. England has examples of hedges that have been sheared annually for more than 300 years. Plants are best maintained by beginning with selections of cultivars with the desired mature height and width, thus avoiding the need for extensive pruning. Unpruned specimens are truly beautiful and gardeners are urged to try and grow them this way. If pruning needs to be done, it is best accomplished with a hand shears to remove selected shoots and provide for openings for light to penetrate the crown. Severe pruning back beyond any green growth may result in branch dieback if plants are not healthy prior to the pruning. The most common problem is death induced by planting in too wet of a site. Select a site where good drainage will be possible. Placing near downspouts on a house is a sure recipe for disaster. If properly sited, there will typically be very few problems. The black vine weevil may require treatment to control.Usage: Although commonly used for topiary in Europe, they make excellent specimen plants for residential landscapes and parks, foundation plants – if not too wet, and hedges. Numerous cultivars have been selected for differences in habit, size, hardiness and color. Some of the oldest specimens in England are 1000 years of age. |
