Cephalotaxus harringtonia
Common Names: Japanese plum yew, Harrington plum yew, cow-tail pine, plum yew
The plum yews are evergreen, coniferous shrubs or small trees with flat, needle-like leaves arranged in two ranks on the green twigs and fleshy, plum-like seeds borne only on female plants. Japanese plum yew is a shrub or small tree that can grow to 30 feet tall and 20 feet (6.1 m) wide, but most cultivars are quite a bit smaller. There are at least three named varieties and several cultivars of Japanese plum yew: C. harringtonia var. drupacea is a shrub that grows to 15 feet (4.6 m); Cultivar "Nana" is a low, spreading shrub that sends up suckers, forming a thicket; and "Prostrata" forms a low mound growing to about 2 feet (0.6 cm) tall with a spread of 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m). These plants are hardy in Zones 6 through 9.
The plum yews are slow growers, some taking as long as 10 years to reach 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) in height. They grow best in sandy, slightly acidic soils. They should be sheltered from strong winds. Japanese plum yew will thrive in a semishady to shady position in warm climates, but should have more sun in cooler regions.
