What to do with Yew

Mame-Mo

Mame
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So I got this Japanese yew at a nursery a few months back as an impulse by. For $16 dollars I couldn't pass it up. The trunk has good movement that is a little more interesting in person, but the branches are so long and it's growth is so much different from the other material I usually work with that I don't really know what to do. I cut it back maybe 20% after purchase, mostly cleaning out old foliage. It seems to want to back bud profusely, but I'm not sure if it does that back on the trunk. Anyone have any suggestions on where to take this moving forward, or any observations on the species in general that would be good to know? I'm primarily concerned with the length of the branches at the moment and not sure if that can be fixed.

Photos before and after my attempt at cleaning.
 

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brentwood

Chumono
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I picked up a pair at Lowe's on clearance, like what you've done with yours. I am having trouble seeing past all the upright growth, yours seems much more tree like - nice tree

Brent
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
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assuming it is well established yew can be cut back strong. If you open the tree up it will budd all over the trunk too.

i would normally let the spring growth extend, trim off pretty much all new growth. that will lead to a new flush. in august I trim to around 10 needles of that season, and pull old leaves. the rest of the season it can do its thing. possibly a late winter trim.
 

Mame-Mo

Mame
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assuming it is well established yew can be cut back strong. If you open the tree up it will budd all over the trunk too.

i would normally let the spring growth extend, trim off pretty much all new growth. that will lead to a new flush. in august I trim to around 10 needles of that season, and pull old leaves. the rest of the season it can do its thing. possibly a late winter trim.
Do you have any insights on where I could trim to start creating some sort of design? I was so excited just to see a Japanese Yew with a trunk that I thought it was a great buy (at least for $16) but now that I have it I can't really see where to go with it. and I can't find very many examples of a yew this young online. Thank you for your input.
 

sorce

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I'd take 2-3 branches in the top to make the tree out of. 2 from the top top...and one of them from a bit lower.

Make a plan to use the lower branches to heal the interest you Shari into the trunk, while I out reduce them to gone for 10 years.

After which your too should be wireavle into a style, so long as you've been properly pruning over those 10 years.

Sorce
 
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