How to plant and care for Yew (English)

Taxus baccata

🌳 Tree 🔁 Perennial

The finest evergreen for hedges and topiary: dense, dark green and long-lived, regrowing from old wood. All parts except the red flesh are very poisonous.

Growing Yew (English): what it needs

Light: Part shade · 6+ hours a day
Watering: Water weekly in dry spells for the first two summers
Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil · pH 6.0–7.0
Spacing: 5 m as a tree, 45–60 cm for a hedge
Height: Kept at 1–3 m as a hedge
In pots: Best in the ground
Feeding: Balanced feed in spring for young plants
Hardiness: USDA zones 5–8

Step by step

On planting day
Plant the Tree
Plant at the same depth it grew in its pot, in a hole twice as wide as the root ball, 5 m as a tree, 45–60 cm for a hedge from other trees. Firm and water well.
0–1 days after “Plant the Tree”
Stake and Tie
Drive a short stake in on the windward side and fix it with a soft tree tie. Loosen the tie each spring so it never cuts into the bark.
0–2 days after “Stake and Tie”
Water In Deeply
Soak the root area with a full can, then keep the soil moist (not wet) for the first few weeks.
7–21 days after “Water In Deeply”
Mulch the Base
Spread 5–8 cm of compost or bark mulch in a 1 m circle, keeping it clear of the trunk.