European yew

European yew is exceptionally shade-tolerant and slow-growing, with dark, glossy needles and, on old wood, the same handsome peeling red-brown bark as Japanese yew. Every part except the red aril is toxic; it is also one of the very few conifers that reliably backbuds from bare old wood after a hard cutback.

Care at a glance

Watering

Check daily, water when the top centimetre is dry. Roughly every 2 days in spring, 2 in summer, 3 in autumn and 7 in winter.

Light

Full sun to light shade.

Winter

Hardy once established; check the specific species for exact limits. Protect it when the forecast drops below -10 °C.

Feeding

Every 21 days, Apr to Sep, paused in the hottest weeks.

Repotting

Every 3 to 4 years, as buds swell, in Apr.

Growth

Slow growing. Hardy in zones 5 to 8.

The work calendar

Styles that suit it

MoyogiChokkanSokan

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