The table yew is robust, very easy to care for and also quite hardy. So you don't even have to pay that much attention to the cultivation of the plant.
The table yew (taxus baccata repandens) proves to be a fast-growing and easy-care ground cover that willingly grows in rather inhospitable locations and forms attractive, lush green carpets. The leaves of the table yew are reminiscent of needles, but are neither hard and prickly nor resinous. The plants are particularly easy to care for and accompany the garden lover for a lifetime, usually even longer.
Plant Description
As a ground cover, the table yew only grows a maximum of half a meter high. In width, however, the cushion yew can expand up to two meters. The table yew is particularly effective on large areas. There it can also be used to green terrain that makes planting seem difficult. In the bed, the table yew is a high-contrast companion of colorful summer flowers. In addition to beds and borders, rock gardens are also well suited for staging plants. The dense, dark green foliage is not shed in autumn and therefore offers an atmospheric picture even in the rather dreary wintry garden.
| Table yew / cushion yew / groundcover yew 'Repandens' (Taxus baccata 'Repandens') | |
|---|---|
| Growth Speed: | 10 - 12 cm a year |
| Growth: | 40 - 60 cm |
| Growth: | 150 - 180 cm |
| Root system: | Herzwurzler |
| Location: | sun to shade |
| Floor: | normal, permeable, nutritious |
Caution: the table yew is poisonous!
The yew was voted poisonous plant of the year in 2011 for a good reason. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Therefore, you should always wear gloves when working.
When does the table yew bloom?
The inconspicuous flowers appear in March and April. The main focus is on the red berries that appear in late summer, which are the real ornament for the plant.
An overview of different types of yew trees
❍Yellow Pillar Yew
The yellow columnar yew impresses with its yellow-green needles. It can reach a height of about four meters. The plant grows very slowly and achieves growth of about five centimeters per year. The plants line entrances, are suitable for planting graves or look good in heather gardens.
❍ Golden Yew Elegantisima
This imposing yew tree can grow up to ten meters high. The needles initially sprout yellow and then turn yellow-green. For planting in the rock or heath garden, the golden yew Elegantisima can also be used in combination with the table yew.
❍ Eaglewing Yew
The eagle's wing yew also tends to grow in width rather than in height. With a height of almost two meters, the plant can reach twice the width. The branches hang at an angle and seem to sway in the wind. The plants grow very slowly and can therefore also be planted in smaller gardens.
❍ Yew "Westerstede"
If a yew hedge is to be planted in combination with the ground cover, this variety is the ideal candidate. The "Westerstede" yew tree is particularly robust, takes pruning very well and is absolutely hardy.
❍ Dwarf columnar yew "Micro"
Another dwarf among the yews can be planted well in combination with the table yew. After all, small gardens don't have to do without yew trees. This variety also does well in the bucket. However, growth requires patience. It takes at least eight years for the plant to grow to a height of about half a meter.
Find the right location
Although the plants are characterized by a rather low growth, the choice of location should be well considered, because the table yew likes to grow in width. The plants can grow more than two meters wide. The cushion yew grows by about 20 centimeters every year.
Individual and group plantings are possible. The ground cover is particularly suitable for borders, rock gardens, heath gardens or for planting graves. Table yews adapt very well to their surroundings. The plant will develop particularly well in a sunny location. But the ground cover also feels comfortable in partial shade and even a shady location is tolerated. But keep in mind: the more shady the table yew is, the slower it grows. The ideal location for table yews is in the semi-shade, because a location in full sun could become a problem in winter. Even young plants are often not exposed to strong sunlightgrown.
The ideal location in keywords:
- Penumbra
- protected
- single item
Selecting the ideal substrate
It is important to ensure that the soil is well drained and loose, because the table yew is a deep rooter and likes to spread its roots more than half a meter deep. Otherwise, the table yew makes no great demands on the soil. However, the soil should not be too damp, because the cushion yew does not like to get its feet wet. The plants also have no problem with a slightly acidic or calcareous substrate. If the soil is very sandy, adding compost will help balance the soil.
The matching substart in keywords:
- loose
- permeable
- calcareous
- loamy
Planting table vines in the bucket
Due to its small and slightly overhanging growth, the table yew is also very well suited for cultivation in planters. However, there are a few things to consider when cultivating in a bucket:
- Potted plants need more water.
- Potted plants need more nutrients.
- Potted plants need winter protection.
So that the yew is not restricted in its growth, it is important that the planter is of sufficient size. Pillow yews eventually form long taproots that reach deep into the soil. Ideally, the planter is half a meter deep.
Potted plants also require more watering than the table yew requires outdoors. At the same time, the risk of waterlogging in the planter increases. The permeability of the soil can be improved with drainage made of clay granules or gravel.
When is the right planting time?
Table loaves can be planted all year round. Any frost-free day is therefore suitable for bringing the cushion yew into the ground. Specimens planted in summer or autumn will still be able to take root and develop well before winter. However, you should avoid planting the yew on sunny days.
Planting table vines - step by step instructions
❶ Select Location
When planting individually, make sure there is sufficient distance to the neighboring plants. After all, the table yew can grow up to two meters wide and thus cover a fairly large area. In order to achieve targeted ground cover in the first two years, you should also have three to four plants per square meterset.
❷ Loosen and prepare soil
After loosening the soil, it can be provided with compost or horn shavings. This provides the plant with additional nutrients.
❸ Dig planting hole
Dig the planting hole twice as deep as the root ball. It is particularly important to go wide enough. The planting hole should therefore be about three times as wide as the root ball.
❹ Create drainage
You should then create a drainage of coarse sand, gravel or clay granules to make the soil more permeable and to avoid waterlogging.
❺ Water plant
Before planting, you must water the table yew sufficiently. The plants can stand in water for up to a day to allow the root ball to soak well.
❻ insert plant
If the root ball has been able to soak up water long enough, you can place the table yew in the planting hole. Fill this up again with soil, carefully tread down the soil and water the plant well.
Replant table leaves
Younger plants can still be transplanted without any problems, because the roots develop rather superficially at first, so that you don't run the risk of injuring the taproots when transplanting. However, since table yews have a very dense root network, you should dig up the plant over a large area.
Take care of table linen - How to do it right
Casting
Watering the table yew should be done with care. Once the surface has dried, pour carefully. If possible, you should not put the water on the leaves, but under the densely growing branches. The cushion yew should also not get its feet wet, because the plants do not tolerate waterlogging.
Fertilize
If the soil is prepared during planting and the substrate is provided with compost or horn shavings, no further fertilization is necessary. If the soil is very poor, you can apply a moderate concentration of conifer fertilizer. Since the table yew tolerates lime, you can also use potash fertilizer.
Important:
You should stop fertilizing in late summer so that the new shoots can mature well before the frost and no renewed shoot formation is stimulated.
Cut
Due to the slow growth and the small growth height, pruning is of secondary importance. However, table yews generally tolerate pruning very well. You can do multiple times perPrune back year, but only on frost-free days. In spring you can, for example, cut the pillow yews into shape.
Wintering
Table loaves are frost hardy and usually withstand severe frosts of up to -20 degrees without special measures. However, late frosts can pose a risk. Young plants and cushion yews that are to be overwintered in the tub appear less robust. A cover made of brushwood, leaves or straw, for example, protects against the intense winter sun.
Because it is an evergreen plant, it is important to pay attention to the water balance even in winter. On sunny days, even in winter, sufficient water is evaporated. In order for the table yew to be able to absorb this again, you should water the plant on frost-free days so that it does not suffer from drought damage.
Recognize and combat diseases and pests on the table yew
Yews are not without reason one of the oldest plants of all. Diseases and pests play a rather subordinate role in the cushion yew. Only scale insects, waterlogging and the winter sun can damage the plant.
❍ Scale Insects
Occasionally, scale insects can occur. Fighting with conventional sprays then fails because a bowl-like shield protects the brood. It is therefore best to fight an infestation with parasitic wasps.
❍ waterlogging
Waterlogging is a big enemy of the table yew, because wet roots make the plant vulnerable to diseases and pests. When Phytophthora rot occurs, the needles begin to turn yellow and the branches dry up. The fungal infestation is usually recognized too late, so that there is often no help left for the plants. In the event of waterlogging, moving it to a dry location can help. However, older plants are difficult to transplant because the roots reach very far into the ground.
❍ brown needles in winter
By the winter sun, discolouration of the leaves occurs more frequently. Table yews that have been planted in a sunny location or young plants that have not yet developed strongly enough are particularly at risk. However, this is not a danger to the plant. In spring, the table yew appears again in its usual green leaf colour. By changing the color of the needles in winter, the plant only helps itself and tries to increase the frost protection.
This is how the table yew can be propagated
The table yew can be propagated by cuttings and seeds. Sometimes the cushion yews also sow themselvesoff.
Propagation by cuttings:
Cuttings can be obtained during pruning in early summer. In principle, you should always cut about 20 centimeters long cuttings from two-year-old shoots. Then shorten all side shoots and shoot tips by about half and completely remove the needles and side shoots from the lower end of the shoot, which is stuck into the ground. Now there are two ways to proceed:
❍ Rooting the cuttings outdoors
If you want to root the cuttings outdoors, plant them in the ground in a sheltered spot. Then keep the substrate evenly moist, but not too wet. After more than a year, sufficient roots will have formed and the young plant can be moved to the desired location.
❍ Rooting the cuttings in the planter
You can also grow the cuttings in a planter in the house. To do this, place the cuttings in a sand-peat mixture and root them at room temperature and even temperatures. The temperature should be at least 20 degrees. Also make sure that the humidity is even.
By the way, rooting can be accelerated if you put a plastic cover over the planter. You have to air this plastic hood every day to prevent mold from forming.
Even with indoor culture, it will take several months to a year before new growth of the plant shows that the propagation was successful. Then the plants are potted and cultivated further outdoors at the desired location.
Propagation by seeds:
The table yew is a dark germ. Before the seeds germinate, they need to be refrigerated for a few weeks. This is best done in a sealed bag in the fridge. The seeds can then either be planted directly outdoors or, as already described for the propagation of cuttings, placed in planters for indoor cultivation.