Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) – care guide

Botanical fact sheet

Taxus cuspidata

No verified data yet

Common name: Japanese yew
Taxonomy: Family: Taxaceae · Genus: Taxus

Still missing: plant type, native distribution, natural habitat, height / growth form, flowering period, growth & dormancy period.

Community knowledge

Tips & experience from members

What worked for you? Your plant’s growing conditions are attached automatically, so others can see who it works for.

No tips for this species yet – be the first to share what worked for you!

Real data

How members water it

Not enough logs yet: at least 3 plants with regular watering logs are needed (now: 0). Waterings logged in Care feed this – anonymised and aggregated.

Care guidelines

How it thrives

Partly general data for the genus Taxus

Watermedium

Lightbright indirect

Humiditymediumgeneral genus data

Min. temperature-35 °C

Cold winter dormancy · general genus dataDifficulty: ●○○○○ · general genus data⚠ May be toxic to pets / people · general genus data

No monthly schedule is shown because cultivar-/species-level data is not yet sufficient. The general values above are guidance only.

Taxus tip: Tolerates hard pruning into old wood – ideal for hedges and bonsai.

⚠ Pets & children · genus Taxus

🐱Cat severe🐶Dog severe🐴Horse severe🦜Pet bird severe🐰Rabbit, rodent severe🐮Cattle severe🐐Sheep, goat severe🐷Pig severe🐔Poultry severe🐢Tortoise, herbivorous reptile severe🧒Human (child) severedetails →

A handful of needles can kill a horse within minutes. Only the red aril flesh is non-toxic – the seed is not!

At a glance

Japanese yew – what to know

Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) – family: Taxaceae, genus: Taxus. Care guidelines: light: bright indirect; water: medium; min. -35 °C. For cats: severely toxic – potentially fatal; for dogs: severely toxic – potentially fatal. Keep it out of reach and call a vet straight away if you suspect poisoning.

All Taxus species in the catalog →Detailed toxicity data →

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Japanese yew?

Moderately: water when the top 2–3 cm of soil is dry, and never let it sit in standing water.

How much light does Japanese yew need?

It likes bright but indirect light, such as near an east- or west-facing window.

How cold can Japanese yew get?

Frost-hardy to about -35 °C – it can overwinter outdoors in many climates.

Is Japanese yew toxic to cats and dogs?

For cats: severely toxic – potentially fatal; for dogs: severely toxic – potentially fatal. Keep it out of reach and call a vet straight away if you suspect poisoning.

Community intelligence