Tips for Growing Japanese Yews

Tips for Growing Japanese Yews Taxus cuspidata

Want a needle-leaved conifer with a little less needle?

You should consider the Japanese yew, a woody shrub with beautiful leaf “needles” that are more akin to small, narrow blades.

And if the “Blade” trilogy of vampire-slaying films has taught us anything, it’s that blades are pretty dang awesome.

The foliage straddles the line between the interesting, pointed leaves of a pine tree and the densely-packed broad leaves of a boxwood shrub, creating an appearance that’s striking yet humble.

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Peppering the female plants are attractive red fruits, which are eye candy for onlookers and actual candy for many forms of wildlife.

This particular Taxus species has some notable advantages over other types, such as a faster growth rate, increased cold hardiness, and tolerance for pruning.

Even if you’re already a yew connoisseur, it’s well worth adding this particular species and its cultivars to your landscape.

To help you grow and care for the Japanese yew, we’ve assembled a thorough guide to its cultivation.

Every essential aspect is covered, from propagation to long-term maintenance. “Yew” will be well-prepared, that’s for sure.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

A member of the Taxaceae family, T. cuspidata belongs to the Taxus genus alongside a bunch of other yew species – the exact number of “a bunch” varies among botanists, from as few as seven to as many as 24.

Native to China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Russia, the Japanese yew is hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 7, which extends significantly further north than the hardiness ranges of many yews.

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