Care tips for the yew (Taxus baccata)

The ideal location in fall and spring is a place with all-day sunlight, in summer a shading net should be used. This measure is not absolutely necessary if care is taken to ensure that the yew does not dry out over the summer. If this does happen, it will stop growing and its needles will begin to dry out. In general, the yew loves plenty of water and needs significantly more of it than other common bonsai varieties. Another difference to many other varieties: the yew grows quite slowly and loves soil mixtures that are particularly rich in clay (Akadama). The yew is a robust bonsai species that is generally insensitive to diseases. However, it is important to regularly check for aphids. To shape the yew, it is worth regularly shortening the shoots to create a particularly attractive tree. Pinching is a proven technique for this.

Pinching is particularly easy when the shoots are still young and soft (end of May to beginning of June).

To achieve the best result, all fresh shoots that have grown out of the siluette must be pinched. To do this, simply pluck the new shoot carefully with tweezers.

Further correction of the silhouette is then possible again in the fall. Now, however, the usual leaf pruning is the method of choice.