Japanese Plum Yew Info - How To Grow A Plum Yew

Planting and Care Japanese plum yews prefer a well-drained, slightly acid soil. When planting this or any shrub, dig a hole that's at least one and a half times as wide as the root ball but one inch shallower. Place the root ball in the hole and fill it in with soil, but don't put any soil on top of the root ball.

How fast do Japanese yew trees grow?

Yew is a fairly fast growing plant when it is young. It will easily grow 30cms per year, more if it is in full sun all day and well cared for.

Is Japanese plum yew poisonous?

Japanese yew contains toxins called taxine A and B, which can be fatal if ingested by dogs, cats, horses or people. The primary symptoms are tremors, difficulty breathing and vomiting as well as seizures in dogs. Ingesting the plant can cause sudden death due to heart failure.

How do you prune a Japanese plum yew?

Take off crossing branches and those that turn toward the inside of the shrub. Prune out very long secondary branches at their points of origin, when this is possible. If not, try pruning Japanese yews' branches to an outward-facing side branch or to a bud. This type of pruning allows sun and air into the centers.

Do yews like sun or shade?

It grows best in full sun to part shade and is hardy in zones 4-7. It blooms March –April, but its flowers are relatively insignificant. Female plants produce bright red fruit that can be toxic to humans and animals if ingested. Yews tolerate a wide range of soil conditions as long as there is good drainage.

Can you touch a yew tree?

Usually, most common reactions simply include eye, skin, and respiratory irritation, as well as nausea, headache, and cardiac effects. Additionally, nearly all parts of the Yew tree are considered toxic and poisonous to humans, and care should be exercised when working with this wood species.

How poisonous is a yew tree?

The Common Yew (Taxus baccata) is an ornamental tree. The taxine alkaloids contained in yew berries, needles or bark are poisonous. The lethal dose for an adult is reported to be 50 g of yew needles. Patients who ingest a lethal dose frequently die due to cardiogenic shock, in spite of resuscitation efforts.

Does Japanese yew need full sun?

Yews grow in full sun to dense shade, but best with some shade to provide winter protection from strong winds. Prefer moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Yews will not tolerate wet soil.

Is Yew toxic to dogs?

Yew, Taxus baccata

Eating yew berries and foliage (but particularly the foliage) can cause dizziness, a dry mouth, abdominal cramps, salivation and vomiting. Can be fatal to dogs and death can come without any prior symptoms.

Are Japanese yew poisonous to dogs?

Japanese Yew: All varieties, from the dwarf to the giant trees, contain dangerous toxins that can be fatal to dogs. Symptoms include tremors, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and seizures.

How do you fertilize Japanese yew?

Prune Japanese yews in spring or summer to remove dead branches and control the shrubs' size. Fertilize the shrubs in early spring with ½ cup 10-10-10 fertilizer spread around the base of the plants. Japanese yew grows best with a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5. In more acidic soils, the leaves may yellow.

Is Japanese plum yew deer resistant?

Wide ranging adaptability makes this evergreen shrub a real problem solver in most landscapes. Upright, broad growth habit with dense, finely textured foliage creates a superb accent, natural hedge or privacy screen. Thrives in sun to shade, and tolerant of heat and drought. Deer resistant.

How tall do upright yews grow?

This vigorous hybrid grows in a tall, upright form. Hicks Yew has a moderate growth rate that is easy to control, but also reaches a good size without having to wait very long. It can reach up to about 18 feet tall at maturity, but is often kept as an 8-12 foot hedge.

What can I plant next to yews?

Mixed Borders

Good companion plants for yews include roses (Rosa spp.), irises (Iris spp.), lilacs (Syringa spp.), viburnums (Viburnum spp.), hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) and plants of Mediterranean origin, such as rosemary (Rosmarinus spp.) and lavender (Lavandula spp.).

Will Yew grow in shade?

Yew. With clipped yew in your garden, you're assured of year-round shape and form. Taxus baccata can be used as a hedging plant for shade, putting on about 30cm of growth a year, and will thrive in most soils, apart from soggy badly drained spots, and in all aspects including deep shade.

Do yews have deep roots?

Yews (Taxus spp.) are among the most commonly planted evergreen shrubs and trees. ... While the root systems of different yews vary, many have deep, widespread roots that become dense and more difficult to cut as the shrub grows.

Can yew tree kill you?

Dried yew plant material retains its toxicity for several months and even increases its toxicity as the water is removed. Fallen leaves should therefore also be considered toxic. Poisoning usually occurs when leaves of yew trees are eaten, but in at least one case a victim inhaled sawdust from a yew tree.

Can yew berries kill you?

This shrub is commonly planted in front of houses, apartments, and businesses; however, nearly every part of the plant is extremely toxic. Just a few berries can lead to serious poisoning or even death.

Why is the yew tree called the Tree of Death?

A popular legend relates how Pontius Pilate was born under this tree or played as a child in its branches. ... Drooping branches of old yew trees can root and form new trunks where they touch the ground. Thus the yew came to symbolise death and resurrection in Celtic culture.

How many yew leaves are fatal?

Minimum lethal doses are reported to range from 0.6 to 1.3 g yew leaves/kg body weight, and intoxication is known to be resistant to standard treatments with no effective antidote.

Is yew wood poisonous to touch?

Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Yew has been reported as a irritant. ... Additionally, nearly all parts of the Yew tree are considered toxic and poisonous to humans, and care should be exercised when working with this wood species.

Why are yew trees in graveyards?

Yew berries are poisonous to animals and so these trees were planted in graveyards so stop the animals getting at them and falling ill. Yew wood was excellent for making bows and the theory has been proposed that during the Middle Ages villages needed to have a crop of yew trees to provide archers with good long bows.