Hatfield Yew

Hatfield Yew (Taxus x media 'Hatfieldii')

Hatfield Yew is a dense evergreen that gives landscapes a finished, structured look in every season. Its upright, broad pyramidal shape builds privacy and green mass without the maintenance of a clipped hedge. Dark green needles create a calm, refined backdrop that makes flowering shrubs and perennials look more intentional. If you need reliable year-round screening and a classic evergreen presence, this yew is a dependable choice.

Distinctive Features

This anglojap yew forms a broad pyramidal to upright shrub with glossy, dark green, needle-like foliage that holds strong winter color. It is a male cultivar, so it does not produce red arils, keeping the look clean and focused on foliage and form. The branching is naturally dense, which helps it screen well even without heavy pruning. It also responds well to shaping when you want a tighter outline or more formal lines.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun to part shade, and it can tolerate shade with good density.
• Soil: Well-drained soil is essential, and it adapts to loam, sand, or clay when drainage is reliable.
• Water: Medium moisture, keep evenly moist while establishing, then water during extended dry periods.
• USDA Zones: Zones 4 to 7.
• Mature Size: Typically 12 to 15 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide unless pruned smaller.
• Habit: Broad pyramidal to upright evergreen shrub with dense branching.
• Deer: Not deer resistant and may be browsed where deer pressure is high.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use it as a focal point where a tall, evergreen form can anchor the design and hold interest all year.
• Screening: Plant in a row for privacy screening and boundary definition with a classic evergreen look.
• Foundation Planting: Use as a tall foundation backdrop to add structure and winter presence behind lower shrubs.
• Hedge and Shearing: Clip lightly to create a formal hedge, or leave untrimmed for a natural pyramidal outline.
• Shade-Friendly Evergreen: Use in part shade where many screening evergreens thin out over time.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune in late winter to early spring or after the main flush of growth to control size and improve density.
• Watering: Water deeply during the first growing season, then provide supplemental water during drought to prevent stress.
• Mulching: Mulch the root zone to conserve moisture and reduce weeds, keeping mulch a few inches away from the stems.
• Winter Protection: In windy, exposed sites, provide some shelter to reduce winter drying and needle scorch.
• Drainage: Avoid wet, poorly drained soils to reduce the risk of decline over time.

Why Choose Hatfield Yew?

• Reliable Privacy: Dense branching and a tall habit create strong screening without constant shearing.
• Classic Evergreen Color: Dark green needles provide a calm, refined backdrop in every season.
• Shade Tolerance: Performs well in part shade, giving you more placement options than many screening evergreens.
• Pruning Friendly: Responds well to shaping, making it easy to keep tidy or more formal.
• No Fruit: Male habit avoids red arils, keeping the plant clean and focused on structure.

Hatfield Yew is best when you give it good drainage, steady moisture while it establishes, and enough room to develop its broad pyramidal form. Once settled, it becomes a dependable evergreen screen that quietly improves the look of the entire landscape. If deer are common in your area, plan protection so the plant can maintain its dense, finished appearance.