Rejuvenating Overgrown Yews (Taxus)

Your 30-year-old yews (Taxus) are 10 and 5 feet tall—leggy and overgrown. Yews are one of the few conifers that tolerate severe renovation pruning.

Renovation Plan

1. Timing: Late winter/early spring (March) before new growth starts.
2. Cut Back Hard: Reduce all trunks to 12-24 inches above ground. Yes, it looks drastic, but yews regrow from bare wood.
3. No Favorites: Cut all stems equally; don't spare the largest.
4. Thin Annually: Once new growth flushes, selectively remove some shoots to allow light penetration and create a natural shape.
5. Maintain: Shear lightly in early summer if a formal hedge is desired; otherwise, thin every few years.

Important Notes

• All parts of yew are toxic—wear gloves, keep pets/kids away from clippings.
• Recovery takes 2-3 years for a full, dense appearance.
• Ensure good drainage; yews hate wet feet.

If they don't regrow, you've lost nothing—you were ready to replace them anyway.