Not only the European yew (bot. Taxus baccata), the Japanese yew tree (bot. Taxus cuspidata) growing in popularity as a garden and hedge plant. However, it usually remains smaller than the domestic variant. Their somewhat lighter and wider needles can create an attractive contrast in your yew hedge.
Height and width
The maximum height of a yew tree depends on various factors. On the one hand, of course, the species plays a significant role, on the other hand, care and location also play a role. A European yew tree that is not pruned can grow up to 15 meters high, whereas dwarf yew trees often remain under one meter tall. Japanese yew trees are also available in different sizes. Some yew species grow more in width than in height, they are usually less suitable for planting a hedge. Ground cover is also among them
Find yew trees.Height and width of some species of yew:
- Mug grater: about four meters high
- European yew: up to 18 meters high, about eight to 15 meters wide
- Gold yew: six to ten meters high, three to four meters wide
- Pillow disc: maximum 40 to 60 cm high, up to two meters wide
- Column disk: up to five meters high, one and a half to two meters wide
- Dwarf pillar: approx. 65 cm high, about 20 cm wide
How much does a yew tree grow per year?
The speed of growth depends largely on the species, but also on the age of the yew. Seedlings grow quite slowly at the beginning. Young trees tend to grow a little faster than older ones. Some pillow slices grow extremely slowly. On average, growth of around 20 to 25 centimeters can be expected for young yew trees on loose soil, and around 15 for older ones
Centimeter. However, newly planted or transplanted trees first put their strength into rooting before they grow in size.How can I influence growth?
As with many other plants, you can influence the growth of your yew trees with some not-too-labor-intensive measures.
Accelerate growth:
- Improve soil
- fertilize regularly
- pour carefully
- frequent pruning
Improve the soil
Yew trees grow in principle on all soils, but prefer slightly calcareous and somewhat loamy soil. If your soil is sandy and light, you should upgrade it a little with ripe compost or good topsoil. Your yew tree cannot grow well in hard, compacted soil. You loosen up this heavy soil a little by mixing in sand.
Fertilize regularly
Even without fertilizer, a yew tree thrives quite well. However, you can stimulate growth through regular fertilization. It's best to start right away with planting. Put a good portion of compost, possibly mixed with some horn shavings, into the planting hole. This promotes root growth. In the first few years, fertilize regularly in spring. Liquid fertilizers, mature compost and horse manure are suitable
equally.Water carefully
Your yew tree will not perish immediately if it is not additionally watered, but it will grow more slowly if there is a lack of water. Therefore, you should water regularly, at least if the drought persists. This also applies in winter when the ground is frost-free. A thick layer of bark mulch will keep the moisture in the soil longer.
Frequent pruning
It is often recommended to prune a yew hedge only once a year, which is not fundamentally wrong. But if you want your hedge to become dense quickly, think about an additional cut every year. As a result, your yew trees develop a particularly large number of new shoots and the hedge becomes opaque more quickly.
What are the special features of the cut?
So that your hedge reaches the desired dimensions and becomes opaque as soon as possible, you should cut specifically. Only shorten the yew tree in height when the desired height has been reached. Cut the hedge laterally so that a trapezoidal shape is created. In this way, all parts of the plant get enough light and the hedge does not bald. When cutting, remember that the yew tree is very poisonous in all parts and protect your skin from contact with sap.
