Korean Gold Japanese Plum Yew

Korean Gold Japanese Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Korean Gold')

Korean Gold Japanese Plum Yew brings a brighter evergreen look to shade and part shade, helping beds feel finished even in tough light. The golden new growth adds contrast without needing flowers, so the plant stays useful from spring through winter. Its narrow, upright shape gives you structure where space is tight, while still blending naturally into mixed plantings. If you want an evergreen that reads clean and intentional without constant pruning, this is a strong option.

Distinctive Features

This evergreen conifer is valued for lemon-yellow to golden new needles that gradually mature to chartreuse and green, creating a layered color effect through the season. The habit is narrow and upright, giving vertical interest without the bulk of wider shrubs. It tolerates shade exceptionally well and typically handles warm, humid summers better than many traditional yews. Small flowers are not showy, and any fruit is uncommon and depends on plant sex and pollination.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Part shade to shade is ideal, with a few hours of gentle morning sun often helping the gold color stay brighter.
• Soil: Moist, well-drained soil is best, and it adapts to many soil types when drainage is reliable.
• Water: Medium moisture, keep evenly moist while establishing, then water during extended dry periods.
• USDA Zones: Zones 6 to 9.
• Mature Size: Typically 6 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide.
• Habit: Narrow, upright, compact evergreen shrub.
• Foliage: Golden yellow new growth that matures to chartreuse and green.
• Deer Resistance: Often deer resistant, but protect young plants where browsing pressure is high.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use it as a focal point in a shaded bed where golden new growth can brighten the design year-round.
• Narrow Screening: Plant in a row to create privacy in tight corridors where wider evergreens will not fit.
• Foundation Accents: Place near corners and vertical lines to add height and contrast without crowding the bed.
• Shade Borders: Anchor lower-light borders with evergreen structure that supports seasonal color around it.
• Evergreen Backdrop: Set behind flowering shrubs and perennials to keep the planting looking finished in every season.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune in late winter to early spring or after new growth firms up to refine shape and encourage 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 moderate soil temperature, keeping mulch a few inches away from stems.
• Drainage: Avoid wet, poorly drained soils to reduce the risk of root problems over time.
• Winter Exposure: In windy, exposed sites, provide some shelter to reduce winter drying and foliage bronzing.

Why Choose Korean Gold Japanese Plum Yew?

• Bright Evergreen Color: Golden new growth adds contrast and lifts shaded plantings without relying on bloom.
• Shade Performance: Stays dense and attractive in shade where many evergreens thin out.
• Space Efficient Form: A narrow, upright habit delivers structure and screening in tight footprints.
• Heat Tolerance: Handles warm, humid conditions with steady performance once established.
• Low Fuss Finish: Looks polished with minimal pruning and straightforward care.

Korean Gold Japanese Plum Yew is best when you give it good drainage, steady moisture while it establishes, and a placement where its upright form can do real design work. In part shade, the foliage color stays brighter and the plant keeps a clean, dense look. Use it to add year-round structure and a touch of light to shaded landscapes.