Plum Yew

Cephalotaxus Harringtonia

Plum yew is a low-growing evergreen that makes a stunning textural addition to any garden. It prefers heavy shade, so if you’ve got a really densely shaded area that you’ve been struggling with, give this plant a try. It can take bright filtered sun, and even a bit of direct, morning sun, but be sure to protect it from the harsh afternoon light, especially in summer.

Listed as hardy to USDA Zone 6, there’s virtually no chance that this plant will ever have trouble with a typical Central Texas, Zone 8 winter. And with most of our plants being deciduous or perennial, winter evergreens as reliable and beautiful as this one are a great addition to your garden, if you’ve got a shady niche to tuck it into.

Don’t be fooled by its small stature when you purchase it; plum yew can spread up to five feet wide and can get up to about two and half feet tall. As with most shade-loving plants, plum yew needs a little extra water during the hottest, driest times of year, but can otherwise virtually be ignored.

Unless you want to keep it in bounds or shape it, there’s no reason to prune or trim it. And fertilization isn’t a deal-breaker, but plum yew will grow a bit faster if you give it a little all-purpose fertilizer each spring.