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Columnar Hybrid Yew

Columnar Hybrid Yew

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Taxus baccata x cuspidata

Description:

A narrowly upright, highly ornamental evergreen shrub with vertical branching, deep green needles, and red berries on female plants; exceptional cold hardiness; ideal for articulation, makes a great tall hedge or screen, takes pruning exceptionally well

Ornamental Features

Columnar Hybrid Yew is primarily valued in the landscape for its rigidly columnar form. It has dark green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring. The sprays of foliage remain dark green throughout the winter. The fruits are showy red drupes displayed from early to late fall.

Landscape Attributes

Columnar Hybrid Yew is a dense evergreen tree with a strong central leader and a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and can be pruned at anytime. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Columnar Hybrid Yew is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• Topiary

Planting & Growing

Columnar Hybrid Yew will grow to be about 30 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live to a ripe old age of 150 years or more; think of this as a heritage tree for future generations! This is a dioecious species, meaning that individual plants are either male or female. Only the females will produce fruit, and a male variety of the same species is required nearby as a pollinator.

This tree performs well in both full sun and full shade. However, you may want to keep it away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.