American Yew or Ground Hemlock
Taxus canadensis (TAXACEAE)
Planting and Growing American Yew
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow American yew or ground hemlock in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, fruit, seed pods, and seeds of American yew or ground hemlock
- Growing conditions for American yew or ground hemlock
- When and where to plant American yew or ground hemlock
- How to plant American yew or ground hemlock
- How to shape, prune and control growth of American yew or ground hemlock
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of American yew or ground hemlock
- Landscape uses of American yew or ground hemlock
- Pest and disease control for American yew or ground hemlock
Growing American Yew
Several cultivars of slow-growing, long-lived, spreading, open, bushy, needle-bearing, evergreen shrubs, to 6 ft. (1.8 m) tall, with deep green, radiating, slightly flattened needles, to 1 in. (25 mm) long.
English yew, Taxus baccata; and Japanese yew, Taxus cuspidata, are closely related species.
American Yew Planting and Care Guide
Flowers and Fruit
Red, berrylike fruit, to 1/2-in. (12-mm) wide, borne by female plants, in summer, form dry seedpods in autumn.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 3–8. Best in zones 3–6.
Soil Type and Fertility
Damp to dry, well-drained soil. Fertility: Average. 6.5–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Partial to full shade. Space 4–6 ft. (1.2–1.8 m) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Allow soil to dry completely between waterings. Fertilize annually in spring. Mulch. Avoid pruning. Protect from sun in hot climates, wind in cold-winter climates. Propagate by cuttings.
About This Species
Good choice for containers, hedges, screens in cottage, formal, shade, woodland gardens. Drought tolerant. Pest and disease resistant. Deer susceptible.
Warning:
Foliage of Taxus species plants contain alkaloids that cause severe digestive upset if eaten. Ingesting large quantities of foliage can be fatal. Avoid planting yew in landscapes frequented by pets and children to avoid health hazard.
Yew Species and Hybrids
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- Taxus baccata, English yew
- Taxus brevifolia, western yew
- Taxus canadensis, American yew
- Taxus chinensis, Chinese yew
- Taxus cuspidata, Japanese yew
- Taxus X media, Anglo-Japanese yew
About Yews
The Taxus genus includes eight species of mostly erect or spreading, coniferous, small trees and shrubs, the cones of which are modified into colorful though tiny, round, fleshy fruit.
Yews are native to the northern hemisphere. Most yew species prefer chilling during winter and will tolerate cold to U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zone 3.
Yews make excellent border shrubs and hedges. They are slow-growing and range in height from 6 ft. (1.8 m) for the shortest species to 50 ft. (15 m) in the tallest.
As small trees, use yews to anchor mixed-shrub beds, accent rock gardens, or define borders at the corners of structures.
Shear or prune yews in the spring to direct their growth. They are also excellent plants for bonsai, espalier, and topiary.
Yews rarely suffer damage from pests and diseases, even from persistent deer or rodents.
All yews are tolerant of drought but become susceptible to chlorosis when landscape soils are too alkaline. Mulch with conifer needle compost or apply an acidic fertilizer to reduce chloritic yellowing.
Choose yews known by nursery and garden store plant experts of your region to thrive in your area’s climate.
Choose from among the most popular species of Yew, listed above.
Planting and Caring for Yew
Choose a location to plant yews with some shade—spots with filtered sun to partial shade are best. The taller species have a fine, dense, pyramid-shaped form. Low species are good for edgings, borders, and mid-ground plantings.
Plant yews in damp soil that tends to become dry, well-drained, and neutral in acidity.
Fertilize yew annually each spring and protect them from drying winds, especially during winter when their needles may become dry or die.
Prune them in the spring, removing all dead or damaged branches and foliage.
Although desirable for their attractive foliage, yews also produce highly decorative red or sometimes yellow, berrylike fruit. Their fruit appears in summer, and contrasts nicely with the yews’ deep green, feathery foliage.
Yew cultivars include plants with bronze, gold, blue green, and yellow foliage, as well as green. Many yew species turn bronze or yellow in autumn, remaining in color through winter.
Yews are also good companion plants for perennials, annuals, and other shrubs and trees that prefer neutral soil. They are one of the few needle-bearing evergreens that readily mix with such plants.
Take advantage of this trait to create tall, vertical accents to contrast with low-growing shrubs and floral edgings. Place a tall yew in the center of an island bed, at the back of a border, or use them in groups to create a miniature forest in your landscape.
Remember that the foliage of yew contains alkaloids that cause severe digestive upset if eaten and can be fatally hazardous when large quantities are ingested. Pets and children are at risk for such hazard.
Choose another shrub species if your yard is frequented by children or pets, and always supervise young visitors and pets in home gardens.