Taxus baccata Repandens - Yew

The Taxus baccata ‘Rependens’ is a variety of the common yew with a low and prostrate habit, forming an evergreen ground cover that is both unique and very elegant. This slow-growing dwarf conifer has soft foliage in very dark needles and is adorned, on the female plants, with attractive bright red aril fruits. Almost maintenance-free, hardy, adaptable to different soils and climates, it has many advantages that have earned it the Royal Horticultural Society's award in England.

Very common in the oldest gardens and parks in Europe, Taxus baccata sometimes gazes at us for hundreds of years. Indeed, their longevity is remarkable. The species, which has become rare in nature, is native to Europe, Asia Minor, and North Africa. Some specimens growing in the Verdon Gorge are said to be over a thousand years old. You can also admire impressive specimens in old gardens or in cemeteries near churches. The needles, bark, and fruits are toxic to humans and animals (except for birds that consume the berries and discard the seeds). The 'Rependens' cultivar is distinguished by its prostrate growth. The common yew is a conifer in the family of yews, just like cryptomerias and metasequoias. Slow-growing, the Taxus baccata ‘Rependens’ will reach a height of 50 to 60 cm (20 to 24in) with a spread of 4 m (13ft). Its habit, initially globose, spreads over the years. Its branches, multiple, long, and ramified, allow it to form a fairly dense horizontal network. Covered with flat, dark green, shiny needles with two white bands on the underside, with a pointed but very soft tip, it is adorned with a thick, persistent, and regular layer. It provides a presence throughout the seasons and often forms the backbone of the garden. It is a dioecious tree, with male or female flowers on different plants. Thus, the red berries appear after a discreet flowering only on the female plants.

The Taxus baccata ‘Rependens’ will find its place in all gardens, even the smallest ones, from the North to the South of our country, and will adapt to all styles: formal, whimsical, contemporary, or poetic. And this is especially true because this yew is not only very hardy but also accepts all types of soil: ordinary, slightly acidic or alkaline, moist or dry. It can be an excellent ground cover, on slopes or even in woodlands, alone or accompanied by equally frugal creeping shrubs (cotoneaster, chamaecyparis, and small junipers, coprosma). Pruning is not necessary or limited to once a year, and it will successfully regrow after severe pruning by penetrating the old wood. Indifferent to exposure, it can even be planted in shade. If you want to keep it near entrances, it can also be grown in containers.