japanese plum yew

Please,, anyone with one of these yews post it for me.. I found a small one with a interesting small trunk to play with.. Thank you in advance take care john

I chose the wrong words in my post..... I would like to make a desent bonsai from this plant...thanks john

Not something I'd ever heard of. Perhaps a photo would help?

It's Cephalotaxus harringtonia. We use it as a shade groundcover here in the South. It takes heat and humidity better than Taxus. I got a couple of old ones from a nursery and managed to kill them both.

FIONA,,I am sorry i don,t have a camera right now..I do thank you for your post....take care john how is the elm?????

Russell,, Sorry about your yew!! this is just a small one,,nursery stock,, i thought i would try take care john

As I said, not a species I've encountered, but on looking at the pic I will say what is said so often on the forum; it needs to grow somehow - in the ground or at the very least in the washing-up basin you've got it in. I'd also be making a decision on style so you can put some basic shape into now so it can grow into the shape/style you want. My first thought would be for a semi-cascade but that's without seeing it in person or knowing about its growth habits. Just my two pence worth, but you'd be better asking the guys who know the species.

John, this isn't the typical creeping harringtonia, but the selection called 'duke gardens'. If you google it by that name you'll see that it makes a low, wide shrub. Yours is pretty typical, they split low and grow out in opposite directions. I've never tried to work with this material, but it seems like you'd need to decide on a leader and remove the others except the ones you want to keep for branches.

Russell Coker wrote: it seems like you'd need to decide on a leader and remove the others except the ones you want to keep for branches.

This was more or less what I was suggesting in my own post but didn't want to put into so many words as it's an unfamiliar species to me. Russell's advice sounds good and this is exactly the "inside knowledge" of the species and particular cultivar that is needed.

Fiona and Russell,,, Thank you bothfor replying,, my daughter came by with her phone,,the picture,, so i will look at it today and see..it is so small i will need a short tree i think.. thanks take care john

These are some in front of my house. They were planted in 2002 as 5 gallon plants. Supposedly, they are slow growing, but I've already cut these back hard once and I need to do it again in the spring. They're back above waist high again!

Hey Russell,, Good bush,,you may find a really good trunk under there !!! thanks take care john

Comments Welcome!!!!

Well, it is a bit of a schizophrenic wide spread "Y" now, John.

To me, the trunk seems a tad long for a cascade -- semi or otherwise -- especially if you are going to make a mini out of it. I think I'd remove the fat (right hand) branch entirely, or almost entirely -- leave a very short stub if you want.

Then I'd let what's left grow unfettered for a couple of years. Next spring, I'd at least consider moving it into a pot that's twice the diameter and half the depth -- a medium size plastic drip tray with holes drilled in the bottom would work.

JIM,,, You have a good plan.. please look again and see if there is a way to keep the right trunk looseing the left ??? I do want a smaller tree like yours... whe to chop is another question...thanks for looking take care john

I'm hampered by not knowing how this plant reacts to severe chops in the fall. It already has has quite a bit of torture applied.

Anyway, I feel the right hand branch is too fat, and would give your tree very poor taper too high up the "trunk." The left-hand branch is a BIT better, and if you chop just above the first or second branch on that trunk . . . .

MY suggestion:



The alternative, using the other side:



Again, both of these may be a bit much for this little plant at this time.

I would definately go with the second virtual. I see no reason for removing the right side and cutting tha movement out of the tree.

JIM ,, Thank you for your help!! I picked your 2 ond virtual so the tree looks like that.. WILL I wanted to save that trunk movement also...the tree has a lot of roots so i think it will be a nice little tree..thanks again take care john