Taxus x media

Anglojap Yew
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

2-3' tall to 20' tall, depending on cultivar. Variable, broad-pyramidal habit, w/ spreading branches & a central leader. Slow growth rate. Yews are among the most ancient of trees, w/ specimens in England, Scotland and Wales in the 4,000-year-old range, w/ a 50' trunk circumference.

Native Range

This is a hybrid of Taxus cuspidata (native to Japan, Korea & Manchuria) & T. baccata (native to Europe, N. Africa & SW Asia).

Flower and Fruit Details

March/April flowers dioecious, mostly female. Male strobili flowers globose, arising from leaf axis on undersides of branches, w/ 6-14 stamens; female flowers solitary, green, like small, stalked, conical buds. Fruits occur on female plants only, & are actually just a hard brown, nut-like seed, covered by a fleshy, red aril. Seeds are toxic to humans & livestock, if chewed.

Leaf and Bark Features

Evergreen: Leaves 1/2-1" long, & 1/12-1/8" wide, on short stalks, mostly not distinctly 2-ranked, upright, V-shaped, somewhat leathery, sharp pointed at the tip, dark green on top, paler beneath, w/ 2 yellowish-green bands. Foliage, if ingested, is very toxic & often deadly to most types of livestock & several other animals (but not deer) due to taxine, which occurs in foliage, bark & seeds. Young, olive-colored branchlets, not changing to brown the second year. Bark on older specimens will have reddish-brown color, exfoliating in scales or longer strips.

Culture and Care

Plant in moist, well-drained, sandy loam, acid to neutral pH soil, in sun or shade. Very shade tolerant. Zone 4-7, making it the hardiest & most adaptable yew for the upper Midwest. Must have excellent drainage. Will die in wet, soggy soils. Too much sun and wind may cause yellowish-brown foliage. No serious disease or insect problems. Susceptible to Taxus mealybug, black vine weevil, Taxus scale, & yew-gall midge.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

4-season interest: Spring, summer, fall & winter. This is a conifer that does not produce cones.

Suggested Uses

Cultivars often used in foundation plantings, screening, hedges, & mass plantings.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA

The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.

  • Taxus x media 'Chadwickii' // Chadwick Anglojap Yew
    Shrub. Dwarf, arching, spreading form. Grows to 2-4’ tall & 4-6’ wide, low-growing compact spreader, w/ glossy, ferny, dark green foliage. Relatively fine texture. Holds foliage color well through the winter. Slow growth rate. Olive colored bark. Transplants well. Ideally, soil should be moist, well-drained, acidic to neutral loam. Zones 4-7. Could be used in a mass planting as a ground cover. Good for hedges & topiary. Takes full shade to full sun. Takes pruning very well. Flowers are dioecious, blooming March-April. Fruits involve fleshy red arils covering a hard brown seed. Tolerates acid or alkaline soil, & air pollution. Organic mulch around the plant will be beneficial.
    Bed 17

  • Taxus x media 'Hicksii' // Hick's Anglojap Yew
    Shrub. Dense habit. Grows 9-20' tall & 5-12' wide) in 15-20 years, narrowly columnar in habit, w/ ascending branches. Narrow in youth (10-12' tall by 5-7'wide), then wider with age. Introduced from Flushing, New York by Henry Hicks. There are male & female clones of 'Hicksii'. Females bear the brown seeds covered by the red arils. Lustrous, dark green foliage is lighter green beneath. Resembles the Irish Yew, but more hardy. Tolerates rabbits, drought, & heavy shade. .
    Bed 14

  • Taxus x media 'Runyan' // Runyan Anglojap Yew
    Shrub. In landscapes, usually 4-6' tall & 6-9' wide. Handsome, dense, compact, multi-stemmed, w/ branches to the ground, broadly rounded to spreading form with lustrous dark green needles. New foliage emerges light green. Zone 4-7. Holds its winter color well w/out yellowing. Tolerates heat & drought. Used for foundation plantings, screens, hedges, topiaries & mass plantings. "Fruit" is a brown seed w/ surrounding red aril, 1/8-1/2" diameter. Takes pruning very well. Takes acid or alkaline soils. Highly tolerant of urban pollution. Will not tolerate standing water. Organic mulches are helpful. Originated from & named for Clifford Runyan, 1926-1956 superintendent of Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum, Cincinnati, OH.
    Bed 16

  • Taxus x media 'Wardii' // Ward Anglojap Yew
    Shrub. Grows slowly to 3-8' tall and 8-20' wide, with a low-growing, wide-spreading, flat-topped, dense form. Dark green foliage holds its color well through the winter. Leaves are pointed, linear, . Used as a hedge. Tolerates rabbits, drought, & heavy shade.
    -- not currently in our collection --