Yew Care Instructions

Hicks Yew

                               Densiformis’, ‘Emerald Spreader’, ‘Hick’s’ and ‘Viridis’    

Category: Attractive dark, evergreen foliage

Habit: Densiformis (broad vase, always wider than tall); ‘Emerald Spreader’ (low, vase-shaped spreader); ‘Hicks’ (columnar); ‘Viridis’ (columnar, but much narrower than ‘Hicks’)

Growth Rate: Slow

Fertilization: Spring or fall- Espoma Holly Tone, Plant Tone, Tree Tone

Landscape benefits and culture:  Invaluable, iron-clad hardy evergreen family prized for their diversity of mature sizes and shapes, as well as responding well to pruning, either formally or more casually. The columnar forms can be used as focal points, or accent plants, or hedges. Spreading types are generally placed closed enough together to mass or hedge.  Sun to considerable shade. Plants will be darker green the more growing season shade they receive. Don’t overwater (any time, even when newly planted) or place in soggy sites.

Pruning: Can be hand trimmed with standard pruners, or sheared into desired shape - geometric, formal or otherwise. The best time to prune is any time in late spring after the new, bright lime-green growth has “hardened” off to the dark green color of the older needles. But, they’re yews, they’re not fussy and it can also be done anytime after that throughout the growing season.

Potential pests/issues: Black vine weevil, Fletcher scale