Yews are native conifers. They do not bear cones but produce bright red fruits. That is why the yew is so popular as an ornamental tree in the garden. With a lot of patience, yew trees can be propagated quite easily from seeds or cuttings. This is how the propagation works!

Yews can be propagated by cuttings, for example

Multiply yew - what are the options?

Yews can be propagated in two ways: either you pull the offshoots from seeds that ripen in the red fruits, or you cut cuttings. You can't do very much wrong with this.

Since yews are very slow-growing trees, you have to be patient until a real tree has grown from the seed or cutting.

Dig up wild yew trees

If you want to plant a yew tree in the garden or even create a hedge, take a look under a yew tree that is already growing. Yews are self-seeding, so you'll be among the females - and only the females! - Trees are guaranteed to find some young plants.

Dig them out carefully. Be careful not to damage the roots.

Then put them in the desired location in the garden or plant them in buckets.

Growing yew trees from seeds

Propagating yews from seeds is more complex. To do this, you need several ripe fruits.

  • Remove the seeds from the pulp
  • Fill pots with soil and sand mixture
  • scatter seeds
  • just cover lightly
  • put in a cool place
  • keep moist

In order for the seeds to germinate, they have to go through a longer period of cold, known as stratification. To do this, place the pots in a place where it does not get warmer than eight degrees. Alternatively, you can store the seeds in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for several weeks before sowing. (Caution: the cores are highly toxic!)

It takes up to 18 months for the seed to germinate and for the first shoots to appear. As soon as you discover the fresh shoot tips, plant the young yews in the desired place.

Use cuttings for propagation

It is easier and faster to propagate a yew tree by cuttings.

To do this, cut several shoots with a length of 10 to 15 cm in early summer. Remove the lower needles and insert the cuttings 5 cm deep into prepared pots or directly into the intended location.

You can tell that roots have formed on the cutting by the fact that new shoots develop. You can then transplant the young yew.

tips

The yew contains the toxic substance taxine in all parts of the plant. Therefore, always work with gloves when harvesting the fruit, cutting and other maintenance work. Although there is only a risk of poisoning if needles and fruit stones are ingested, the juice can cause skin irritation on contact.

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