Upright Japanese Yew
Taxus cuspidata 'Capitata'
Height: 15 feet
Spread: 10 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4a
Description:
A dense, pyramidal large evergreen shrub or small tree with beautiful deep green needles, maintains its habit into old age, ideal for small-scale articulation in home landscapes; takes pruning exceptionally well; one of the few evergreens that loves shade
Ornamental Features
Upright Japanese Yew is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has dark green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring. The ferny sprays of foliage remain dark green throughout the winter. The fruits are showy red drupes displayed from early to late fall. The peeling brown bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.
Landscape Attributes
Upright Japanese Yew is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Upright Japanese Yew is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Vertical Accent
- Hedges/Screening
- General Garden Use
- Topiary
Planting & Growing
Upright Japanese Yew will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more.
This shrub 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. 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 is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, 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.
