I hope to understand the difference between hill’s yew and hick’s yew to help me determine which one to choose for which site. Info I found from searching online is a bit contradictory, certainly not very consistent. Wonder if you know some reliable resources or have experience growing these two kinds of yew.
Thanks!
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners.
Our website contains several answers to questions about the popular Hick’s Yew (Taxus × media ‘Hicksii’) and Hill’s Yew (Taxus x media ‘Hillii’). Type “Yew” into website query box.
Below both Yews are listed with similar traits from a reputable Ontario growing nursery:
Hick’s Yew: Zone 4 – A versatile evergreen tolerating heavy pruning, making it ideal for hedges, screens, foundation plantings and topiary landscapes. It can also be left unpruned for a softer textured landscape. A very columnar-growing cultivar, making it a good vertical accent. Protection (burlap wrap) from drying winter winds is recommended in an exposed location.
- Columnar, dense, with sharply ascending branches
- Excellent evergreen for tight hedging
- Narrow short-stalked dark green needles
- Small round fleshy red berries on mature stems
- Extremely low tolerance for wet, poorly-drained conditions
- Mature taxus specimens have the ability to regrow from old wood; older specimens in the garden can be rejuvenated
Hill’s Yew: Zone 4 – A versatile evergreen tolerating heavy pruning, making it ideal for hedges, screens, foundation plantings and topiary landscapes. It can also be left unpruned for a softer textured landscape. A columnar-growing cultivar, growing somewhat more slowly than ‘Hicksii’, making it a good vertical accent. Protection (burlap wrap) from drying winter winds is recommended in exposed locations.
- Slow-growing, columnar and dense with sharply ascending branches
- Narrow short-stalked tightly-spaced dark green needles
- Low tolerance for salt or wet, poorly-drained conditions
- Male selection, producing no fruit
- Mature taxus specimens have the ability to regrow from old wood; older specimens in the garden can be rejuvenated.
Below are some of the links that discuss pros and cons of this shrub. There is also a comprehensive Gardening Guide for Evergreen Hedges.
https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/?s=hicks+yew
https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/askagardener/yew-or-beech-for-hedging/
Hope your Yew choice grows beautifully.