Japanese Yew
Taxus cuspidata
- Native to:
- China, Japan, Korea, Kuril Is., Russia
Photo (c)2007 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man (en.wikipedia.org) )
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Coniferophyta | - Conifers
- Family:
- Taxaceae
- Genus:
- Taxus
- Species:
- Taxus cuspidata
- USDA Symbol:
- TACU
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- 1500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Large Fruit-tree Tortrix (Archips oporana)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.0 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers cool, shaded environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–180 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–365 days
- Notes:
- Seeds exhibit double dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold stratification. Germination can be erratic and may take over a year.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI