English Yew Hedge (Taxus baccata)

English Yew Hedge Plants Description

English Yew (Taxus baccata) is a dense evergreen conifer hedge known for its vibrant green foliage in spring and small red fruits that appear in autumn. While these fruits are visually appealing and attract birds, they are toxic to humans, pets, and livestock. The compact needle-like foliage of the English Yew is remarkably easy to trim, allowing even novice gardeners to achieve sharp, clean lines for a refined classic hedge shape. For those who enjoy topiary, English Yew is an excellent choice, as its foliage can be sculpted into intricate designs, making it ideal for creating statement pieces or feature hedges.

English Yew hedging grows at a steady pace of 30 to 40 cm per year and can be easily maintained at a height of 1 to 5 metres, making it a popular choice for adding privacy to outdoor spaces. Once it reaches the desired height, Taxus baccata requires minimal upkeep, remaining stylish and elegant with little effort.

During the first few seasons, English Yew requires ample watering, but it is important to avoid water logging the soil. If you have clay or poorly drained soil, improving drainage when planting is advisable. Aside from its water needs, English Yew is highly resilient and easy to grow, adapting well to all soil types, particularly alkaline ones, and thriving in shaded areas. For more information on this hedging and to determine the right choice for your garden, consult with our qualified horticulturalist team Tel. 0330 236 7330

Pruning Advice

General hedge trimming should be done twice a year, once in early June and again in late September. It is important to prune at the right time, so as not to remove new growing shoots.

Further Information

How to Plant an English Yew (Taxus baccata) Hedge
Planting distances are flexible and can be adjusted based on your preferences. For bare-root Yews, spacing 3 plants per metre is sufficient, 5 per metre is ideal, and 7 per metre in a double staggered row will create a dense hedge more quickly. Generally, smaller plants should be planted more densely. Cell-grown Yews should be planted at 4 per metre in a single row, or ideally 6 per metre in a staggered row. For pot-grown and root-ball Yews, planting densities vary depending on pot size and plant height, but you can adjust these based on your budget and patience.

In addition to Yew, consider adding variety to your garden with colorful foliage plants. Yew is a popular alternative to boxwood, as it can be shaped easily and has small-sized foliage. Taxus baccata is available year-round as cell-grown, pot-grown, or instant hedging plants. Bare-root plants are available from November to late April/early May, while root-ball plants are available from early October to late May. Yew is one of the most versatile hedging plants, and in a typical year, it can be lifted from the field and transplanted in rootball form for 10 months out of the year, provided it receives adequate aftercare, particularly sufficient watering until established.

For more detailed information on planting distances, please refer to our planting density advice section. Prices are listed per plant unless otherwise noted.

Delivery & Returns

Free delivery is available on most orders (except Premium Products) providing they meet the minimum spend criteria for the size of box or pallet. Pallet deliveries and large box deliveries for tall plants are indicated by icons on the product table listings. Delivery costs and minimum order details for each packaging type are as follows:

* Standard Sized Boxes (Bare root up to 1.2m tall & pots up to 7.5L) | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £100 | or £7.99 charge.

* Tall Sized Boxes (Bare roots 1.2m & over) | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £100 | or £14.99 charge.

* Pallets (Root balls, large pots 10L+, trees etc | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £350 | or £60 charge.

* Pleached Trees (Specialist Delivery) | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £1500 | or £450 charge.