Characteristics
| Hardiness zone | 6a |
|---|---|
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | upright spreading |
| Mature height | 5 feet |
| Spread | 5 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun to shade |
| Moisture requirements | dry to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
Dwarf Japanese Plum Yew
Botanical name: Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Nana’
This dwarf selection is more shrubby with needles shorter and finer in texture than the species; shows heat tolerance, a good substitute for yews in the southern heat; has some drought tolerance once established.
Other names: Cow’s Tail Pine
Ornamental Features
Dwarf Japanese Plum Yew has attractive dark green foliage with silver undersides. The needles are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
Dwarf Japanese Plum Yew is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Dwarf Japanese Plum Yew is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Accent, Mass Planting, Hedges/Screening, General Garden Use
Planting and Growing
Dwarf Japanese Plum Yew will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.
This shrub performs well in both full sun and full shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
