The Evergreen Yew-Tree the Easiest Hedge for your Garden

 

 

By Michael / 2 January 2013 / Garden Plants, Garden-Design, Gardening, Horticulture, Public Green & Landscape Design / Leave a comment

When you think of planting a hedge in your garden and can’t decide wich trees your going to use a Yew-tree can be the best choose. Yews are though strong and compact trees and can become very old. With its bulky, light-absorbing form and its prevalence in churchyards, one could mistake yew as a symbol of death.The opposite is true: the yew trees are older than many of the ancient churches they shelter. Yews’ extreme longevity and evergreen nature encourage hopes of eternal life.

It’s the Yew-berrie from wich a lot of people believe it’s poisoned but only the seed in the berrie is the part that’s to blame for this misconception. If you don’t mind spitting out the highly toxic seeds you can munch on the flesh of the berry, but you might find that you have better things to do.Yews were sacred to the Celts and prized by Druids.

The ‘Stricta’ Yew, Taxus baccata ‘Stricta’ (‘Fastigiata’), is also known as an Irish Yew. It has a great columnar shape, and larger needles than English Yews. It is a narrowly upright evergreen tree with almost vertical branching, dark matte green needles and interesting red berries. Stricta is a good size for home use, making a great tall hedge or screen.

This yew is an excellent choice for hedging where space is limited. It takes pruning exceptionally well, and this slender shrub tolerates shearing. Tolerant of shade, it is also drought tolerant once established.

This Irish Yew has long been considered distinct from other yews for its erect habit and dark green leaves in whorl-like arrangement. Stricta has more crowded, upright branches than the species. Its branches tend to spread near the top, especially in snowy regions

Family Taxus baccata ‘Stricta’ (‘Fastigiata’)
Foliage Dark Green
Mature Height 15-20 feet
Mature Spread 6-8 feet
Soil Widely Adaptable, Well Drained
Zones 5-7
Moisture Average, Moist
Mature Form Upright, Columnar
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Exposure Full Sun, Partial Shade
Flower Color Inconspicuous
Fall Color Evergreen