Woody > Taxus > Taxus baccata > Taxus baccata 'Silver Spire '
Taxus baccata
'Silver Spire '
Silver Spire English Yew; Silver Spire Common Yew
Origin: Discovered by Treseders Nursery in 1989, Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
| Family |
| Taxaceae |
| Genus |
| Taxus |
| Species |
| baccata |
| Cultivar |
| 'Silver Spire ' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Shrub (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 6 - 8 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 6b - 8a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H6 - H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -20 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -10 |
| Height |
| 1.5 - 2 m |
| Spread |
| 40 - 50 cm |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| Landscape |
| Used mainly as a specimen or accent plant. |
| Cultivation |
| Prefers partial shade, but can tolerate full sun. Enjoys moist, slightly acidic to neutral well-drained soil. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Foliage with golden-yellow variegation. |
| Pests |
| Mealybug, scale, black vine weevil and yew-gall midge. Needle blight, twig blight and root rot. |
| Habitat |
| Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Scaly thin bark. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Small with a fractured or plated appearance. |
| Leaf Description |
| Variegated needles with a waxy cuticle that are typically 2 - 3 cm in length and up to 3 mm wide. |
| Flower Description |
| Male flowers are spherical, clustered in large groups and are approximately 4 mm in diameter. Female flowers are usually isolated and are approximately 6 mm long and 4 mm wide. |
| Fruit Description |
| Arials that are 1 - 5 cm in diameter. |
| Colour Description |
| During the growing season, Taxus baccata ‘Silver Spire’ has a golden glow due to its variegated foliage. During the dormant season, 'Silver Spire' takes on a brilliant silver glow. When its arils develop in late summer, red accents are visible within. Male flowers are greenish-white and female flowers are green. The bark is a reddish-brown. |
| Texture Description |
| Smooth. |
| Propagation |
| Propagation by cuttings in winter. |
References
Hatch, L. (2015). Cultivars of Woody Plants. TCR Press
​Dirr, M. (2009). Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. Champaign, Illinois: Stipes Publishing L.L.C.
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