Japanese Yew Grow Guide: How to Grow Japanese Yew

Taxus cuspidata, commonly known as Japanese yew, refers to various evergreen shrubs and trees in the family Taxaceae. Also known as spreading yews, these dark-green conifers grow quickly and can reach anywhere between twenty and fifty feet in height, depending on their location. The shrub has small, pointy leaves that are dark green on top with a yellow or reddish-brown underside (depending on the time of year). Landscapers often use Japanese yews as hedges or topiary plants.

Japanese yews are dioecious, which means they can grow both male and female flowers on the same plant. This conifer sprouts small, round red berries that contain a toxic pit.

Like other yews, every part of the Japanese yew tree is toxic, except for the aril, or red flesh surrounding the berry. Consuming any part of the yew can be harmful or fatal to both humans and dogs.

Plant Japanese yew shrubs and trees in the spring or early fall. They grow best in USDA Hardiness Zones 4–7. Avoid planting Japanese yew during the extreme temperatures of summer and winter because they will struggle to establish roots.

Japanese yew trees are cold-hardy and low maintenance once established, but they are finicky during germination. If you’re planting yew from seeds, they can take years to establish, if they do at all. As such, you should grow Japanese yews from cuttings or young, established plants you find at your local gardening center. Here is an overview of how to propagate Japanese yew from cuttings:

1. 1. Choose a planting spot. Choose a shady area to place a growing tray for your yew plant if you live in a hot climate. Otherwise, you can plant your yews in full sun. Prepare the soil to be loamy and well-draining. Fill a growing tray with slightly acidic soil with pH levels between 6.0 and 6.5. Learn how to adjust soil pH.
2. 2. Prepare your cutting. If you’re planting the yew from a cutting, select a healthy branch about eight inches in length and the width of a pencil. Remove all the leaves on the bottom half of the branch, and shave a bit of the bark off. Dip the cut tip in some rooting hormone.
3. 3. Create a hole for your planting. Dig a hole in your prepared soil deep enough to hold half of your yew cutting. Fill in the hole with enough soil so that the cutting stands upright.
4. 4. Monitor and water the cutting. Over the next few weeks, monitor the area to ensure that the location is warm and sunny enough for the cutting. Water regularly, misting the leaves in between waterings.
5. 5. Transplant your cutting. After about three months, your yew should be ready to transplant into a container. Carefully dig out the yew and transplant it into a one-gallon container, making another hole large enough to hold the cutting. It can take a few years for the yew to mature and develop a root ball, at which point you can move the shrub or tree to its final planting spot.

Japanese yews add year-round greenery to any landscape. Follow these care tips to help your plant thrive:

1. 1. Prune regularly: Japanese yews spread widely: If you’re using them as hedges or border plants, you’ll need to reshape them often. Regularly remove dead branches on sight. Cut the stems at a forty-five-degree angle at a quarter of an inch above the bud for maintenance pruning. Keep in mind that these plants can become invasive if you don’t prune them for long enough. Aim to prune your yews in the early spring.
2. 2. Protect from harsh winters: While evergreens will stay mostly green all year-round, they still need protection from harsh weather. You can wrap your evergreens with a burlap sack to create a cover for your plants and prevent them from winter burn.
3. 3. Monitor for pests: Japanese yews are mostly pest- and disease-resistant, though they can be susceptible to weevils and mealybugs. Use an organic insecticide to ward off pests.
4. 4. Water regularly: Water your yews enough to keep the soil moist but not soggy because they are prone to root rot. Yews are mostly drought-tolerant but will not handle extreme conditions or neglect.
5. 5. Fertilize as necessary: Add a balanced liquid fertilizer to your soil a few inches away from the base of the shrub to ensure the soil is rich in nutrients.

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