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The native range of Taxus cuspidata is Japan, Korea and
North East of China, where it grows to 50 feet tall.
It has become extremely popular due to its ease of
culture and shade tolerance. It responds well to shearing.
The branches are spreading or ascending. Plants tolerate
city conditions and extensive pruning. Twigs are light
green in color, turning brown after several years. The
attractive bark is always thin, about 1/4 inch, reddish-brown,
and exfoliating, that enables you to see the inner
bark, reddish-purple.
In early Spring the Yews can be seen in flower, and in
late Summer the fruits appear. It is in leaf all year, in
flower from March to April, and the seeds ripen from
September to November. The fine-textured needles are 1/2
to 1 inch long, dark green on top and tinged yellowish
beneath, usually arranged in two rows along the twigs,
making a flat or V-shaped spray.
The flowers are dioecious, individual flowers are either
male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any
one plant and the red fruits are produced only by female
plants. They are pollinated by Wind. The red berry-like
cones are very conspicuous and may persist on the
branches well into Winter. The fruit is produced mainly
on the undersides of one-year old branches. The fruits,
with their bright arils, the fleshy covering over the
seeds, look at first like small acorns, but they ripen
into bright red berries. It is the seeds inside the fruit
that is poisonous.
Hardiness zones 4-7, (5°F/-15°C, -25°F/ -32°C) in
Winter. A very cold hardy plant when dormant. A very easy
plant to grow, it is extremely tolerant of cold and heat,
sunny and shady positions. Thrives in almost any soil,
acid or alkaline, as long as it is well-drained. Grows
well in a medium loamy soil. It requires dry or
moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can
tolerates strong winds and atmospheric pollution.
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