Hardly any other native conifer tolerates pruning as well as the yew. She actually forgives any cut. So you can hardly go wrong if you cut back a yew tree severely. A strong pruning is possible at any time.
Is severe pruning possible for a yew tree?
A heavy pruning of yews is possible at any time, as they are extremely tolerant of pruning. However, the cut should not be done directly in summer when there is strong sunlight to avoid brown discoloration. Note that yew trees grow slowly and require 2-3 years to recover from severe pruning.
Yew trees tolerate pruning very well
The yew tree is so robust that it can even tolerate being cut back to a stick. It will reliably sprout again.
It can also be shaped into any shape you want. Whether you want to cut a ball or create other figures – with the yew there are hardly any limits to your ideas.
However, if you prune heavily, you must remember that the yew tree grows very slowly. It sometimes takes two to three years for a heavily pruned yew tree to grow tall and dense again.
When is severe pruning of the yew necessary?
- Tree too high
- Yew hedge no longer tight
- Rejuvenate yew tree
- Topiary
Basically, you don't have to cut a yew tree at all. If you like it and have enough space for it, you can simply let the yew tree grow.
The best time to prune
The yew tree doesn't care when you cut back heavily. You should only use scissors in the summer when there is strong sunlight, as the needles on the cuts will then turn brown.
If you value flowers and fruit, prune in early summer. You can then see where fruit clusters are. The female flowers are rather inconspicuous. The male flowers are produced in early autumn, so you should no longer cut the yew in autumn.
Rejuvenate the yew tree by pruning it heavily
Old yew hedges tend to become bare on the inside. In this case, heavy pruning can be very useful to rejuvenate the yew trees. To do this, the trees are thinned out and cut back.
This means that the lower regions of the hedge get more light again and the yew grows many new small branches there.
Tip
Since yew trees are highly poisonous, be sure to wear gloves when cutting (€9.00 on Amazon). Be careful not to get needles or incisions in your face as the poisonous plant sap can cause allergic reactions on the skin.
