Taxus media Emerald Spreader - Yew

The Taxus x media 'Emerald Spreader' is often considered the best spreading hybrid yew cultivar. It forms a low, symmetrical mass with a very dense, vibrant green foliage, which has shorter and softer needles compared to other yews. With its tender green shoots in spring that turn dark green and remain evergreen in winter, it is a perfect conifer for creating a permanent decoration in a large rock garden, on a slope, or in a large bed. Very hardy and adaptable to different soils and climates, it has a place in every garden. 

The Taxus x media is the result of cross-breeding between the Taxus baccata (common yew) and the T. cuspidata, a Japanese yew that tolerates shade, sandy and moist soils, and drought, and has a faster growth rate. All these plants belong to the taxaceae family, just like cryptomerias and metasequoias.

With slow growth, 'Emerald Spreader' reaches an average height of 90 cm (35in) with a spread of 2.50 m (8ft). Its habit is distinctly spreading, carried by long, oblique and flexible branches with short and numerous branchings. Its multiple branches create a dense network that does not thin out at the base. The evergreen foliage is composed of short (1.5 cm (1in)), flat, veined needles, with a beautiful dark green color, that becomes pointed at the tip but remains soft to the touch. Thus, with a thick and persistent coat, this bush has a beautiful presence throughout the seasons and often forms the backbone of the garden. The yew is a dioecious tree: individual subjects bear either male or female flowers. 'Emerald Spreader' being a male hybrid, it does not bear fruits. It can live for more than 50 years in the garden.

The possibilities offered by yews are endless, and they are among the few conifers that tolerate shade. These bushes, imbued with wisdom and nobility, enclose, shape, and sculpt spaces, thanks to their always green and flawless "fur" that is ignored by animals. The variety 'Emerald Spreader' will find its place in every garden, even the smallest, from the North to the South of our country, and will adapt to all fancies and styles: strict, whimsical, or poetic. Moreover, this hybrid yew is not only very hardy, but it also accepts all types of soil: ordinary, slightly acidic or alkaline, moist or dry. It tolerates shade and can be used to fill areas without light, alone or accompanied by evergreen shrubs like Sarcococca and laurel-tin, which are equally undemanding. It accompanies  low chamaecyparis and small junipers…  

The needles, bark, and fruits are indeed toxic to humans and animals (except birds that consume the berries and discard the seeds).