Are there any upright yews which can be maintained at about 24" dia ? My emerald cedar is a single specimen plant which provides a vertical element in front of a 4' fence. It is healthy, but has grown too large and I'd like to replace it with a slower growing alternative. My yard is very shady, so unsuited for cypress and other narrow, sun-loving upright conifers. The cedar has done well, as do hostas, pulmoneria, and a nearby lonicera nitida and rose of Sharon, so I thought a yew might work. I like the columnar effect of the cedar , but find that it grows too fast and needs to be cut down and replaced about every 10-15 years. If there are suitable yews, can anyone suggest a source for a decent sized plant (at least 3' high) in the Greater Vancouver area? How often should it be pruned to keep it healthy and narrow, but still fairly natural looking? Should I start trimming right away to increase the foliage density, or wait until it is close to the desired diameter?
Maybe Taxus x media 'Hicksii', Hicks Yew, would work for you ? Have seen it in the retail nurseries., often sold for hedging material.
@dt-van, Sorry that I don't know what species/cultivars these are, but I thought of you when I saw these yew trees the other day, both on the same property in the West End, one on Comox and one around the corner on Jervis.
