January Shrub of the Month-Yew

When I purchased my current home in 1995, the front yard was a poster child of typical mid-century foundation plantings with a square-shaped yew (Taxus spp.) hedge in the standard position under the front window. Well, the hedge tried to be square…it had become scraggly and thin, bare at the bottom and thick at the top from 30+ years of shearing with hedge trimmers. 

That’s what typically comes to mind when the term ‘yew’ is thrown out in landscape conversations. There is a reason these incredibly hardy and forgiving shrubs were used so much back then-they have few pests or diseases; they are evergreen, versatile, tolerate shade, and take abuse year after year after year. 

For the homeowners with OCD-level enthusiasm (and time) for perfect, geometric-shaped living things in their front yard, the yew is an option since, yes, it will hide your (insert annoying feature here; foundations, trash cans, weird neighbors, etc..) and yes, it will conform to your passionate use of hedge trimmers. 

Compared to their closest competition in the ‘foundation plant’ category, boxwood, yews typically have a darker green color and a coarser texture. Hand-pruned yews, especially in the shade, can have a graceful, natural, layered presence in the garden. They are not picky about soil conditions like another commonly used evergreen, the Holly, and are much friendlier to the touch. Yews will grow in full sun or full shade.

However, Taxus x media cultivars such as ‘Hicksii’ or ‘Wardii’, commonly found at garden centers in cute little 2 or 3 gallon-sized pots, can grow up to 20′ high and 12′ wide if left to their own devices. This is why heavy shearing started and why paying attention to plant names is so important.

Bruce and Chick Buehrig use yews in their stunning garden A Winter Visit to the Garden of Bruce and Chick Buehrig (garden-lou.com) with artful combined purpose and aesthetics. Recommended by the Buehrigs are some not-so-common cultivars and species that can add interest without all the work and stigma of the ‘old-fashioned’ yews of the past.

-For yews with gold/yellow needles, Taxus cuspidata ‘Dwarf Bright Gold,’ ‘Rezek’s Gold,’ and ‘Nana Aurescens’ are vigorous choices.   

       

–Taxus x media ‘Flushing,’ ‘Maureen,’ ‘Beanpole,’ and ‘David’ are columnar-shaped or structural yews great for screening and focal points.

–Taxus x media’ Citation’, a Missouri Botanical Garden ‘Plant of Merit,’ is a low-maintenance, pyramidal cultivar that grows to 6-10′ high and 3-6′ wide.

As always, research and check tags when choosing a yew. Paying attention to cultivar names is critical; be wary if a garden center doesn’t list the botanical names of their plants!

Although the old yew hedge was replaced right after I moved in, the small Taxus cuspidata ‘Capitata’ just planted by the former owners for curb appeal in front of the chimney was spared. After 29 years, it has grown into a beautiful specimen and hosts a dove nest each spring visible from the living room window. (It also does double-duty screening our chimney, which needs serious tuckpointing!)

What I love about this plant;

-It’s evergreen.

-EXTREMELY hardy.

-no significant pests or diseases.

-Nice alternative for screening or privacy.

-Shade tolerant.

-Drought tolerant once established.

-Takes dog urine better than boxwoods.

-Rabbit resistant.

What’s not so great;

-Yes, it’s old-fashioned and overused…but it’s been around a long time for a reason, and we’ve come a long way from the ‘standard’ cubes of the 60s and 70s. (Haven’t we, please?)

-Not deer tolerant-Tragically, deer seem to love yews almost as much as hostas, bringing up the next important point below.

-Yews (Taxus) are considered HIGHLY TOXIC to dogs, cats, horses, cattle, deer, and humans. All parts of ornamental yews except the arils (the fleshy, red part surrounding the seed on female yews.) contain a toxic alkaloid called Taxine. The arils are edible, but the seed is dangerously toxic. Yew seeds are eaten by thrushes, waxwings, and other birds, which digest the arils and disperse the hard seeds undamaged in their droppings.

For more information about toxicity in yews, check out;

Yew (Taxus) intoxication in free-ranging cervids – PMC (nih.gov)

Yew tree poisoning: a near-fatal lesson from history – PMC (nih.gov)

Yew poisoning Information | Mount Sinai – New York

Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com

Words and photos by Jo Batzer unless stated otherwise.

© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2024, All rights reserved.