In the family Taxaceae, Taxus is a genus (also referred to as yews) of dioecious and evergreen conifers that include five species. The most prominent of these is the English Yew (Taxus Baccata) and the Japanese Yew (Taxus Cuspidata).
Taxus Bonsai (also known as Yew) Bonsai is a slow-growing plant with a thin trunk and flaking bark that appears to give it an aged appearance. The majority of the tree’s features, particularly the leaves, are extremely toxic. Mainly skin of the fruits is not dangerous, but the seeds therein are.
They are tiny to moderate-sized evergreen trees that can reach a height of 20 meters. The leaves are spirally positioned on the stem and are dark green and plain. The trunk is brown and scaly. Each of their seed shafts contains only a single seed.
Noted for being Europe’s longest-living conifers, they are robust, centennial trees.
The Chinese Yew is a particularly intriguing species of Yew (Taxus Chinensis). It fights cancer because of its unique qualities.
Remember to discard away the remaining components of your Taxus bonsai after cutting. They are poisonous, and the toxicity increases as the leaves wilt out.
How long does it take to grow Taxus (yew) Bonsai?
Taxus Bonsai (yew) can be predominantly grown natively in deciduous woods’ under story, in which they can tolerate very low exposure time. Churchyards were often the only locations fenced off from grazing livestock. By eating its leaves and fruits, it could sick people.
In an elder tree, numerous smaller trunks might merge over time to form a truly magnificent single trunk. They’re divided into male and female plants, and the berry-like red fruits require two trees of opposite genders to be near each other to bloom. Male trees have blossoms that are twice large as female trees and resemble little spheres.
Placement
The Taxus (yew) enjoys bright light, but it may withstand shadow as well, but it will bloom less densely in severe shadow. In the summer, protect it from the intense blazing sun in hot, dry areas. They must be protected from heavy frost, intense sun, and icy breezes in the wintertime. Such harsh winter temperatures can be detrimental to both the tender roots and the leaves. Because they are perennial, it requires plenty of light even in the cold season. Completely resistant to -10 °C, beyond which it needs to be protected.
Watering
Water the plant as early as the soil becomes dry, but don’t over water the roots. It’s also a smart option to spray the foliage with lime-free water. The yew can withstand a pH range of 5 to 8.
Soil and fertilizers
The pH of the soil should be alkaline. Potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium are all essential. During the growth period, apply a solid organic fertilizer every four weeks or liquid fertilizer on weekly basis.
Styling
They are easy to cut and generate foliage pads, styling a Taxus bonsai may become simple. Except for the broom shape, you could indeed style your bonsai almost in any way you prefer. This bonsai tree has a hollow trunk, which is a frequent feature. They may be attractive, but they are not prevalent as mame or shohin.
How to Plant and Grow Taxus (yew) Bonsai
Propagation
Seeds, cuttings, and air-layering can all be used to grow the Taxus Bonsai (yew) tree. Summer is the finest time to take clippings, and the best approach is to pluck small buds off the maternal plant’s branches.
Wiring
You should wire the timber when it is still immature, as old wood is inflexible and difficult to mold. Use tiny wires, but make sure they don’t cut the bark by checking them periodically. After re-potting, this should not be wired. The limbs can take as little as a few weeks to take on the appropriate structure. To eliminate the wire, simply cut it instead of unwinding it, as the strands may shatter.
Pinching
The Taxus Bonsai trees’ sepals will flare into bloom in the spring, generating light green sprouts of growth that should be left to mature to around 3-4 cm before being pinched. This process is accomplished by maintaining the root of the new sprout via a single hand while plucking in half with another, using the thumb and index finger (not the nail). If the necessary size of the pad has already been obtained, the potential growth tip shoots can be removed to allow the tree to back sprout in the core of the leaf pad. If the tree is fit and active. This method can be performed when the tree develops new economic expansion lengths. But if you wait too long, the shoots will stiffen and become difficult to pinch, forcing you to trim with scissors.
Pruning
Pruning should be carried out in the fall and not during the growing season since this will prevent the tree from producing berries. You should chop them down in the late growing season since their limbs will usually grow outwards rather than upwards. Spare the rest of the branch with some foliage. After the blossoming has occurred, do not pull out.
The apical dominance of the Taxus bonsai trees is the most important factor to consider while pruning them. You can control this by trimming heavily around the upper edge to hold the top limbs from inflating out of harmony to that same trunk and redirecting. The power to the bottom branches, which again will induce additional swelling near the trunk’s bottom. Rapidly expanding sacrificial limbs can help speed up the process. When strong and nutritious, the species will also blossom quickly on old wood surrounding existing nodes. It can be quite useful when working with old gathered trees. They are quite tolerant of incorrect pruning because of their quickness in blooming.
Repotting
Considering re-potting should be done immediately before the actual growth phase. The timing in the United Kingdom would vary substantially depending on the weather. They normally start growing around April in the warm South of England, depending on where you store the tree, e.g. greenhouse. So, you should usually begin around the beginning of April. The roots of the Taxus bonsai tree are quite thick, you must be cautious when plucking them out with a root spade so as not to cause far too much harm. A mild washing of water, particularly with gathered particles, can often aid penetrate highly stagnant underlying soil mixtures.
Their springtime surge of development will not be able to endure severe root trimming. This species shouldn’t be root trimmed too aggressively, but continue to trim to promote good circumferential root development. For example, deciding to leave the inferior region of root and lopping the dominating region of root. If you’re re-potting outside, keep an eye out for drying breezes that could harm the thick root ball. You may prevent this by spraying it with water regularly until it is replanted and soaked in. The suitable soil combination I’ve identified for this variety is 50percent sorted from dust and graded 3-6 mm. Akadama soil – the hard double red line grade, 45 per cent 3-6 mm. Kiryu volcanic grit to improve draining and prevent the Akadama clay from wearing down, and 5% chopped up and sorted Sphagnum Moss.
Because the Taxus (yew) tree’s bases are quite fleshy, you’ll have to shelter it from frostbite in the winter. A huge part of the problem stems because of too much moisture content in the soil due to poorly draining cold soil mixtures. It will be much more necessary to safeguard these trees till the soil composition can be changed.
Since this genus has a thick root, it doesn’t do well in a plastic Bonsai pot since the tree’s root ball can’t breathe through the plastic outer coating.
Repot the plant every two to three years, or even later if the tree is quite mature. The roots can be heavily trimmed. Use a regular potting mix, but include a little more compost for moisture retention in sunny regions.
How to Care for Your Taxus (yew) Bonsai
Except for the delicate red aril, all components of the Taxus Bonsai tree are toxic. Veins protrude typically from the trunks of older yew trees. The trunk’s bark is thin and reddish-brown, with grayish flakes flaking off. When yews are aggressively trimmed, they could even produce buds where there is no leaf, which is a great characteristic of bonsai style. The European yew (Taxus baccata) and the Japanese yew (Taxus japonica) are the two of the most popular bonsai species (Taxus cuspidata). Also, suitable for bonsai are the Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) and the smaller Canadian yew (Taxus Canadensis). Yews keep growing, producing extremely strong wood that is ideal for deadwood carving and can live for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Pests and diseases
Due to Taxus Bonsai trees thick roots, they are prone to root diseases when the soil is excessively damp. If the needles at the tips of the branches turn yellow and begin to fall, inspect the root to see. If it has deteriorated, then ensure the soil is not too acidic. The most prevalent insect seen in this tree is scale. You can use insecticides or various types of fungicides to spray the shrub. Before using insecticides, make sure the plant is well watered.
