Myriad Botanical Gardens - Oklahoma City, USA

Common name: Dense Spreading Yew

Family: Taxaceae (Yew Family)

Distribution: Asia

IUCN Red list: Not evaluated

Life form: Evergreen shrub/sub-shrub

Comments: Yew is a classic shrub for formal hedges. This hybrid has its origin in a cross of English and Japanese species, and that has made it more winter hardy. The main culprit of demise for this shrub in Oklahoma is extreme heat, making afternoon shade essential. 'Densiformis' is smaller than some other varieties, it will grow in an irregular spreading mound of four feet tall by seven feet wide. Yew is a dioecious plant, and this cultivar is exclusively female. So it will only produce its red berry-like cones, called an aril, when male plants are nearby.