Common Yew

How to grow Common Yew

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant in autumn or spring into ground that drains freely — more yew hedges are lost to standing water than to cold. For hedging, space plants 50–60 cm apart and start with smaller, cheaper stock, which establishes faster. Improve heavy clay with grit and organic matter before planting rather than dropping it into a sump.

Pruning

Trim hedges and topiary once in late summer, or twice between late spring and early autumn for a crisp finish. Unlike most conifers, yew reshoots reliably from old bare wood, so an overgrown hedge can be cut hard back — do one face one year and the other two or three years later.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, taken with a heel and rooted in a cold frame; they are slow but reliable. Seed germinates erratically and can take two or three years.

Pests and diseases

Phytophthora root rot is the significant threat, usually the result of poor drainage, and shows as yellowing then dieback of whole branches. Yew scale and gall midge cause cosmetic damage only.

Value to wildlife

Dense evergreen cover makes exceptional nesting and roosting habitat, and the red arils are eaten by blackbirds and thrushes.

Notes

Growth is steadier than its reputation suggests — a well-fed hedge puts on 20–30 cm a year. Yew is well known to be poisonous in all its parts except the red aril flesh; check its toxicity status before planting where children, pets or grazing livestock have access, and never dump clippings where horses or cattle can reach them.

Some structured details on this page (such as tolerances, pH and hardiness) come from USDA PLANTS Database (public domain). The written guidance is GardenDecoded's own, researched as described in our editorial policy.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Taxus baccata but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Taxus