American Yew Taxus canadensis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- TAKS-us ka-na-DEN-sis
- Description
-
The Canada or American yew is a woody, needled evergreen shrub in the yew family (Taxaceae), native to central and eastern North America. It ranges from Manitoba, Minnesota, and Iowa eastward to the coast and south as far as Tennessee and the mountains of North Carolina. It has an open, sprawling habit and is sometimes referred to as ground-hemlock. The species epithet means "[found] in Canada."
The plant grows in partial to deep shade, typically in moist, cool soil, where it may stabilize soils along streams, ponds and bogs. Where its low spreading stems touch the ground, they may root and colonies can be formed. It rarely grows over 5 feet tall, with a spread of 6 to 8 feet. Propagation is by stem cuttings, best done in fall or winter.
The foliage may become reddish-brown in winter, and in summer, female plants produce red, berry-like cones.
Use this shrub in mass plantings among trees in a wooded area, on a slope or bank or riparian area. It is also at home in a native, rain or winter garden. Of note, deer will browse this plant.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Confers like the American yew are occasionally damaged or killed by insects and spider mites. View the link, Pests of Conifers, in the sidebar to the left for details.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Taxus
- Species:
- canadensis
- Family:
- Taxaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and eastern North America.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Prostrate
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The seed is borne in a cup-shaped, fleshy structure called an aril, up to 3/8 inch long, maturing to bright red, open at the end and exposing the single seed in mid- to late-summer.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Male and female cones are both about 1/8 inch long, borne singly in the leaf axils usually on different branches of the same plant, occasionally on separate plants. Female cones are smaller, beginning as pointed buds and subtended by a series of small bracts. Male cones are oval-elliptic, the cone scales yellowish, the pollen sacs initially creamy colored, turning tan.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- 3/8- 1-inch dark green needles attached singly in a spiral around the branch but give a flattened appearance as they project laterally only. The undersides are paler with a prominent green midvein and appearing striped.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Twigs are mostly alternate, hairless, green to yellowish when young, becoming brown to reddish-brown the second year.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Riparian
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
