PLANT FINDER
Height: 12 feet
Spread: 5 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4a
Description:
An upright, columnar evergreen shrub with thick, spirally arranged needles that give it a distinctive appearance; makes a great tall hedge or feature accent plant for articulation in the garden; takes pruning very well; prolific red berries
Ornamental Features
Majestic Yew is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. The fruits are showy red drupes carried in abundance from early to late fall. It has attractive dark green foliage with hints of silver. The sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. The smooth brown bark and coppery-bronze branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape.
Landscape Attributes
Majestic Yew is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. 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.
Majestic Yew is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Vertical Accent
- Hedges/Screening
- General Garden Use
- Topiary
Planting & Growing
Majestic Yew will grow to be about 12 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 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. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. 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 particular variety is an interspecific hybrid, 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.
