The genus Taxus - yew - unites several species of evergreen conifers, which have predominantly shrubby forms, although large trees are also found among them. The advantages include high decorative qualities and wear-resistant wood. Disadvantages are considered very slow growth and low resistance to adverse environmental conditions.
Yew trees are found in the Northern Hemisphere, its distribution is fragmentary and includes regions with a warm and humid climate: Western and Central Europe, North America, Africa, the foothills of the Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Crimea, the Carpathians, and the Far East. These plants are relict, existing on the planet since the Jurassic period. The life of yews is from several hundred to millennia.
Description
The highest Taxus breeds rarely reach 20–27 m, trunks in girth do not exceed 1 m. In a year they rise no more than 15–25 cm. In adult trees and shrubs there is a dense spreading egg-shaped or cylindrical crown, often with several peaks. The yew bark is smooth or lamellar, has a reddish-gray color, is dotted with sleeping buds, from which lateral shoots develop. Leaf needles 20-30 mm long with a clearly visible central vein from light green and yellow to dark green.
Yews are mostly dioecious plants, flowers bloom in spring, pollination occurs in April or May. Cones are located in the axils of the leaves.
These plants are sensitive to low temperatures, strong winds and polluted air, do not tolerate excessively acidified heavy soils, do not grow in high mountains.
Almost all parts of yews are poisonous, because they contain potent alkaloids that can cause irritation of the mucous membranes, impaired cardiac activity, and suffocation in humans and animals.
Yew wood
Yew wood has long been valued for its high strength, beautiful appearance, and ability to withstand rot and fungus. It is known that this material cleans the surrounding air of pathogenic microbes, healing the microclimate.
The yew kernel, in contrast to the light yellow sapwood, has a red or purple color, darkening even more with time, the texture of the array is almost uniform. Atdrying often warps and cracks, but is stable during operation. The density of wood depends on the species and ranges from 570 to 812 kg / cu. m. For many centuries, houses were built from this material, furniture was cut out, used for interior decoration, military and hunting bows, and musical instrument cases were cut from it.
Today, yew is not used in wide industry, as it is classified as an endangered plant species. Sometimes there are various handicrafts and souvenirs made from it that have collectible and artistic value, exclusive furniture.
Kinds
There are several types of wood, many of which are planted in the adjoining territories, in parks, gardens or terraces, and used as hedges.
Berry
Yew berry, or European (taxus baccata) - the most famous of all. It grows in Europe and the Caucasus. It forms extremely rare stands, its solitary specimens are found either in the lower tiers of beech, hornbeam, or fir forests. The peculiarity of this species is the presence of bright red berries growing around the seeds. Given the toxicity of the plant, eating them is not recommended, despite the sweet taste, although sometimes the flesh is used as a raw material for homeopathic preparations.
The yew berry is the most resistant to drought, as it has a deeply penetrating root system.
The following varieties of berry yew are the most suitable for landscaping:
- Summergold - a short and wide dense bush, not higher than 1 m, the name characterizes the appearance of the plant: its needles even in the shade have a yellowish tint, and in the summer in bright sunlight it turns golden, tolerates temperature extremes, frost and short-term drought;
- David is a cylindrical shrub with yellowish-green needles, it can grow up to 2 m in height with a width of about 50–70 cm, can grow in moist and arid soils, suitable for creating hedges;
- Fastigiata - is distinguished by its exquisite columnar shape: it extends up to 1.5 m, having a width of up to 70 cm, numerous shoots are directed upward almost vertically, the needles are dark green, about 2 cm long. The variety is prone to freezing, but tolerates a long absence of moisture;
- Repandens - a picturesque dwarf variety of taxus baccata with dense branched green needles. In height, this yew is 50–80 cm, its diameter is about 1.5 m, the bush is demanding on the illumination and nutrition of the soil.
Pointed
Species Taxus cuspidata - spiky yew - grows up to 15 m, distributed in Primorye, the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Japan, Korea. In Russia, it is listed in the Red Book, as it belongs to rare endangered species. The peculiarity of cuspudata is the shape of the needles - its tips are pointed and resemble spikes. The bark of trees and shrubs is brownish red, sometimes with yellowish spots. The spiky yew is more resistant to adverse environmental conditions: it adapts to scarce soils, tolerates winds, droughts and frosts well. For planting on household plots, dwarf varieties: Nana, Monĺoo, with compact fluffy crowns up to 1.5 m wide, were bred.
Canadian
Homeland is the northeast of the United States and Canada. The needles of the tree are often olive green or slightly yellow in color, a little curved, brown bark, the roots are superficial. Canadian yew is only 10-15 cm long in a year. This is a rather frost-resistant species.
Middle
It is considered a hybrid of berry and spiky, combining the characteristics of both of these species. The middle yew has a pointed, double-row needles, dull green or slightly reddish in color, brown lamellar bark, a dense, uneven or ovoid crown. On the basis of this species, growing faster than others, dozens of decorative varieties are bred.
Short-leaved
A small, widely branched, light green shrub that grows in western North America. The length of its needles is about 1 cm, per year it rises only 5 cm, rarely stretches more than 1 m in height. Relatively unpretentious appearance, well survives on any soil, resistant to frost.
Landing
Yew trees can be planted in summer cottages and suburban areas under certain important conditions: the soil is not excessively acidified, the place where the bushes are grown is protected from the wind, the air does not contain toxic impurities of gases and salts of heavy metals.
In a temperate climate, for the construction of hedges and landscaping the garden, an average yew or Summergold variety is suitable, tolerating negative weather conditions better than others.
The best soil for the plant is slightly alkaline, neutral, slightly acidic, well-drained. Soddy or leafy land with the addition of peat and sand is suitable. Clay soils with moisture stagnation are undesirable.
In the presence of an adult plant, planting material can be prepared independently. Yew is propagated by seeds and vegetatively. The first method requires enormous patience and time-consuming - only the period of stratification takes at least six months, after which the seeds must be placed in a nutrient mixture of sand and peat. When the seedlings reach 15–20 cm in height (a few more months), it will be possible to plant them in open ground.
Propagation by lateral or apical cuttings is the best way. Shoots must be at least 20 cm long and have several branches. For rooting, they are first planted in a box with a mixture of soil and sand, after 2-3 months, seedlings are strengthened in a constant place. It is advisable to do this in May, so that the plants have time to gain strength.
Yews are able to live in the shade, but in order to provide them with the fastest growth, it is recommended to plant them away from the walls of buildings, large trees and high fences, choosing sunny places.
The pits for planting yews should be 1.5 times wider than the roots and deep enough: you need to put drainage on the bottom, a layer of soil on top, then place a seedling and cover it firmly with earth. To protect against pests, a little solution of copper sulfate is added to the substrate. When erecting hedges from plants, the distance between them should be at least 0.5 m.
Care
Watering the bushes is carried out in the first 3 years of growth in the warm period, in dry weather, seedlings need 10 liters of water per month. At the same time, you should sprinkle the crown, spraying it. For the winter, the roots are mulched with sawdust or needles, and the bushes themselves are covered with agrofiber.
The soil around the roots should always be loose, providing the required air exchange. Top dressing with combined universal mixtures is carried out from April to October with an interval of 2 weeks.
After a few years, the grown bushes can be trimmed a little, giving the crown the desired shape and removing damaged shoots. Use any garden tools for this: scissors, pruners, knives. After shortening the shoots, it is advisable to immediately produce fertilizer.
To protect against mold, rot and pests, it is recommended to prophylactically spray the bushes with fungicides once a season.