Despite it ’s exotic name , theJapanese yew(aka spreading yew ) can be get hold in parks and neighborhood all over the westerly hemisphere . The dense foliage of Japanese yews make them the ideal accent plants and perfect for hedge row .
You see , most conifer do n’t like the shade , but Nipponese yews are a major exception . These popular evergreen shrub prosper in fond shadiness or full Sunday , and can add a pop of color to the otherwise barren nicety garden from fall through early outpouring .
What is a Japanese Yew?
In its original form , the Japanese yew ( taxus cuspidata ) is a unmarried - trunked tree strain 50 foot in height [ germ : Britannica ] . The coinage is rarely raise in finish , having been replaced by the numerous dense , behind - growing diverseness that may be ball-shaped , vase - mold , pyramidal , or spread , count on the selection .
Although they are labeled dwarf plants , most eventually become quite high : 20 feet or more . The dark immature needles have rounded wind and are not " petulant " like most other conifer . distaff works bear bright red Berry .
The Nipponese yew is wide used as a fundament industrial plant , especially on the north or east sides of the home . It attain an excellent formal or innate hedge , and dwarf varieties — of which there are many in dissimilar sizes , shapes , and colour — are popularly used in John Rock gardens .
Growing Japanese Yew Plants
There are a variety of ways to go about adding a Nipponese yew to an outdoor space . To propagate Nipponese yew , professionals often use cuttings from shew plants and sometimes even seed . homeowner and hobby gardeners would likely prefer to buy a low tree from a garden gist and summate it to their own garden [ source : Van Zile ] .
For unspoiled outcome , carefullyconsider the landscapebefore breaking land . yew are utterly tolerant of moderate specter , and even deep shade , as long as they get some spring sunlight . In dumb shade , the shrubs will call for harsher pruning to help fill in the gaps form by a more open growth pattern .
yew involve fertile , well - drained soil as well as ample moisture . badly drained dirt can cause antecedent rot , which will kill the plant . They will not support tooth root contender from shallow - rout trees , so plant Nipponese yew away from other plants that might compete with them .
Are Japanese Yew Berries Edible?
You would n’t think that a plant as pop as the Japanese yew could be toxic . But in actual fact , Japanese yew is considered one of " the most poisonous woody plant life in the macrocosm , " [ source : Ray ] . Nearly all elements of the yew industrial plant contain deadly level of taxine alkaloids .
The only part of the yew plant that isn’tpoisonousis the red flesh of the Berry . Do n’t go eating a handful of yew berries just yet . Though the fleshy red yield of the berry are considered safe , the seeds inside can be implausibly toxic . Which is why they should always be care for with extreme cautiousness .
So , is the Japanese yew toxicant ? The result is a resounding yes .