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Native Plant Database

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Taxus canadensis (Canada yew)
Smith, R.W.

Taxus canadensis Marsh.

Canada yew, American yew

Taxaceae (Yew Family)

USDA Symbol: TACA7

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

American yew is a low, straggling shrub or ground cover, 3-6 ft. tall and twice as wide, with flat, narrow needles that are dark green above and pale green below. Evergreen foliage takes on a reddish-brown tint in winter. Spreading limbs ascend at the tips. Bright-red, berry-like fruit grows at the tips of the branches.

The Canada Yew is a member of the family Taxaceae which includes trees and sometimes shrubs, slightly aromatic and resinous, without flowers or fruit; mostly in northern temperate regions. About 20 species worldwide, including 4 native tree and 1 shrub species in North America in the genera yew (Taxus) and torreya (Torreya).

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf: Green
Fruit:
Size Class: 6-12 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: CT , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: MB , NB , NL , NS , PE
Native Distribution: Nf. to s.e. Man., s. to VA & TN, n. IL & n.e. IA
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N), SPM(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Moist sands or sandy loams.
Conditions Comments: Needs protection from winter sun and wind, heat or drought. Pest free.

Propagation

Description: Yew seeds are slow to germinate – natural germination not taking place until the second year. Most yews root readily from cuttings taked from Oct. to Jan. Cuttings benefit from hormone treatment and will take up to 3 months to root.
Seed Collection: Fruits ripen in late summer or fall. Each scarlet fruit contains a single, fleshy seed which can be extracted by macerating the fruit in water and floating off the pulp.
Seed Treatment: Seed dormancy can be broken by warm plus cold stratification.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Bibliography

Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Taxus canadensis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Taxus canadensis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Taxus canadensis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-07-10
Research By: TWC Staff

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