Yew 'Dense'

Willowbrook Nurseries Inc.

$49.99
Title

A lush and versatile masterpiece, this yew provides a dense, emerald-green canvas for your landscape. Its soft-to-the-touch, glossy needles form a thick, undulating mound that stays vibrant year-round. In late summer and fall, female plants are often adorned with ornamental, coral-red berry-like cones, adding a sophisticated pop of colour against the deep forest-green foliage.

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Plant Details

Mature Size:

4' H x 6' W

Zone:

4-7

Watering:

Medium

Foliage Type:

Evergreen

Growth Rate:

Slow - Moderate

Light:

Full Sun/Full Shade

Plant Profile

Common Names:

Densiformis Yew, Dense Spreading Yew, Anglo-Japanese Yew, Dense Yew

Scientific Name:

Taxus x media 'Densiformis'

Type:

Ornamental Evergreen Shrub

Growth Details:

  • Mature Size: Typically 3–4 feet tall with a wider spread of 4–6 feet.
  • Growth Habit: Densely mounded and spreading; fills out right to the ground.
  • Form: Spreading mound; semi-dwarf.
  • Growth Rate: Slow to moderate (roughly 3–5 inches per year).
  • Longevity: Can live for 50 years or more under ideal conditions.

Environmental Needs:

  • Exposure: Full sun to full shade.
  • Soil Preferences: Prefers moist, well-drained, sandy loams; adapts to acidic or neutral pH.
  • Soil Tolerance: Highly tolerant of urban pollution and drought once established, but has zero tolerance for poorly drained, soggy soil.
  • Watering: Regular watering is needed during the first season; established plants are moderately drought-tolerant.

Special Features:

Highly shade-tolerant; urban pollution and drought resistant; excellent for formal topiary; takes pruning better than most evergreens.

Care Guide

Ornamental & Landscape Value

Seasonal Interest:

  • Bloom: Non-flowering/prized for foliage.
  • Fruit: Showy coral-red fleshy arils (berries) from late summer through fall.
  • Evergreen Interest: Glossy dark green needles provide structure all winter.

Garden Value:

A landscape staple for foundation plantings, low hedges, and borders. Its ability to grow in dense shade and tolerate heavy shearing makes it perfect for formal gardens, topiary, or screening.

Wildlife & Human Value:

  • Wildlife: Provides dense nesting cover and shelter for songbirds. Unlike many evergreens, it is generally resistant to rabbit damage but can be browsed by deer.
  • Human: Essential for privacy screening, architectural structure, and "curb appeal" foundation work.

Planting & Care Guide

Planting Considerations:

  • Best Time To Plant: Spring or early fall.
  • Spacing: 2–3 feet apart for a solid hedge; 4–6 feet for individual specimens.
  • Location Tips: Ensure excellent drainage; avoid low spots where water collects. In cold climates, site away from harsh, drying winter winds to prevent winter burn.

Care:

  • Light Requirements: Highly versatile; thrives in full sun, partial shade, or even full shade.
  • Moisture Requirements: Prefers average, medium moisture. It is extremely sensitive to "wet feet"; never allow it to sit in standing water.
  • Maintenance, Fertilization: Low maintenance; responds exceptionally well to heavy pruning or shearing for formal shapes. Apply a balanced, slow-release evergreen fertilizer in early spring.

Tolerances:

Heavy shade, urban pollution, drought, and heavy pruning.

Tips For Success:

Mulch to protect the root zone and retain moisture. If in an exposed northern location, a burlap wrap in winter can prevent foliage desiccation. Note: All parts are toxic if ingested by humans or pets.

Fruit Profile