Taxus baccata fastigiata

Common Name: Irish Yew (Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’)

Description:
Irish Yew is a stately evergreen conifer known for its upright, columnar growth habit and dense, dark green foliage. It is a slow-growing plant that makes a striking architectural feature in both formal and informal garden settings. The foliage is composed of flat, glossy needles arranged spirally around the stems, maintaining year-round structure and colour. Over time, the plant matures into a broad conical form, although it remains narrow for many years. Female specimens develop bright red arils in autumn, adding seasonal interest. Irish Yew is ideal for narrow planting spaces, avenue planting, screens, hedging, or as a focal point. It tolerates a wide range of conditions, including full sun, part shade, and even full shade, and grows well in most well-drained soils. It is long-lived, wind resistant, and thrives in Melbourne’s climate with minimal maintenance once established.

Form:

• Tree – Small (when young)

• Shrub – Large (as it matures)

• Suitable for Hedging / Screening

• Specimen Conifer

Mature Size:

• Height: 8–12 m (may reach 15 m over decades)

• Width: 2.5–4 m

Aspect:

• Full Sun

• Part Shade

• Full Shade

Flowering/Fruiting:

• Inconspicuous flowering in spring

• Female plants bear red arils in autumn

Flower Colour:

• Greenish-yellow (not ornamental)

Fruit Colour:

• Bright red

Key Attributes:

• Evergreen

• Perennial

• Formal, columnar form

• Suitable for narrow planting areas

• Slow-growing

• Long-lived (can live for centuries)

• Drought Tolerant once established

• Frost Hardy

• Shade Tolerant

• Wind Resistant

• Urban Pollution Tolerant

• Provides food for birds (red arils)

Toxicity:

• All parts (including needles, bark, and seeds) are highly toxic if ingested—especially dangerous to humans, dogs, cats, horses, and livestock

Companion Plants:

• Boxwood (Buxus) – structured evergreen contrast

• Osmanthus – fragrant and shade tolerant

• Camellias – flower interest in dappled shade

• Hellebores – underplanting with winter blooms

• Hydrangea paniculata – seasonal contrast

• Ornamental grasses (Carex, Poa) – soften base