How to grow a Taxus (yew) bonsai? A detailed guide to the latest cultivation methods

Taxus (yew) is suitable for planting throughout both northern and southern China. It likes shade, tolerates drought and cold, and requires soil with a pH of 5.5-7.0. Taxus is an ancient tree species with a history of over a hundred years, and it has a long history of cultivation in our country, where it is deeply loved by people. Today, the editor will share with everyone the cultivation methods and care tips for Taxus bonsai.

Cultivation Methods for Taxus Bonsai

As for the question of how to grow a Taxus bonsai, you should start with the entire set of management details such as light, water, fertilizing, and pest and disease control, so that you can achieve careful maintenance.

1. Light requirements

Taxus is a shade-loving, drought-tolerant plant, so it should be placed indoors. In summer it needs appropriate shading, and it should not be placed in a room with western exposure, nor near an air conditioner vent or a heater, as that will increase the evaporation of water from the Taxus leaves, causing the branches and leaves to dehydrate and eventually the leaves to curl and dry up. Every year in July-August, under strong light, the chlorophyll in the leaves is damaged, and this needs to be avoided. In summer, the light duration should be as short as possible, while in autumn and spring it can be longer. However, no light at all will also affect the growth of Taxus.

2. Flower pot selection

Use a slightly larger flower pot, and drill more holes in the bottom of the pot to enhance its water permeability and breathability.

3. Soil selection

Loose, humus-rich, fertile soil that retains water and nutrients and is breathable is suitable, with the soil being slightly acidic (pH 5-6.5); loam is best. Clay soil is not breathable, and sandy soil has poor nutrient and water retention, so neither is suitable. In addition, peat soil, perlite, etc. can also be mixed with loam to make a mixed growing medium.

4. Water requirements

When a little yellow-white appears on the surface of the potting soil and the leaves curl slightly, there is no need to water; simply mist the leaves. When the soil turns white, it should be watered. Water thoroughly in one go so that the potting soil fully absorbs enough water. If placed outdoors, water once every 15-20 days; indoors, water once every 20-25 days. Keep the soil moisture content at about 40%.

Note that watering too much or too often can cause root rot in Taxus. In summer when the rain is heavy, if it is placed outdoors, excess rainwater should be drained promptly to prevent the Taxus from being soaked in water for a long time. Of course, long-term drought and lack of water are also not good for the growth of Taxus.

5. Soil fertility

Apply 0.2 jin of organic fertilizer and 0.02 jin of compound fertilizer per plant. Farmyard manure and cake fertilizer (such as cottonseed cake, peanut cake, and sesame cake) can also be added. Fertilizer should be applied along the wall of the pot as much as possible, and must not come close to the roots of the Taxus. Generally, newly purchased Taxus bonsai contain nutrient soil, so no fertilizing is needed for 3 months; afterward, fertilize once every 2-3 months.

6. Transplanting and repotting

After about a year, the Taxus sapling gradually grows larger and its root system becomes well developed, at which point transplanting and repotting are needed. Break the old pot apart while not damaging the original soil ball, move it into a new pot, and water it to settle the roots, ensuring the root system and soil are tightly combined to ensure survival. If conditions permit, the Taxus sapling can be transplanted into open fields, where it will grow faster.

7. Bonsai shaping

If the lower branches and trunks of the bonsai grow too densely, dry, yellow leaves will appear and fall off, so part of the overly dense lower branches and trunks can be pruned away. During pruning, it can be shaped freely, such as into an umbrella shape, pagoda shape, round shape, etc.

When a newly purchased Taxus bonsai of Yew No. 3 or above is transplanted from the growing base into a flower pot, part of the root system is damaged, which unbalances the nutrient supply between the roots and the branches and leaves; even when the potting soil is kept moist, the leaves still curl and dry up. Pruning can reduce the consumption of nutrients by the branches and leaves and restore root growth. To keep the Taxus crown beautiful, the terminal buds and some lateral buds can be moderately removed.

8. Pest and disease control

Taxus stem rot is one of the most serious diseases during the growing period of Taxus cuttings. About 2 months after Taxus cuttings are taken, stem rot occurs successively at the base of the stem of the cuttings (where the underground and aboveground parts of the cutting meet), starting with individual plants becoming diseased and then spreading to the entire cluster, causing the leaves of the cuttings to lose green color, die, and fall off. Because this disease mainly occurs in the high-temperature seasons of summer and autumn, the cuttings are damaged by high soil temperatures, which provides conditions for pathogen invasion. The occurrence and spread of the disease mainly depend on the temperature in July-August; if the disease occurs earlier, the seedlings have weak heat resistance and the disease is more severe.

① That is, in summer and autumn, lower the surface soil temperature of the seedbed to prevent burning the base of the seedling stems, so as to avoid wounds that allow pathogens to invade.

② Increase fertilizer application to promote the growth of the cuttings and enhance their disease resistance.

③ Use quintozene powder + dexon powder mixed at a concentration of 5g/kg with water for irrigation; its control effect is best at 89%, or use carbendazim + thiophanate-methyl wettable powder mixed at a concentration of 4g/kg with water for irrigation; its control effect reaches 83%.

④ For large-area control of this disease, alternating the above 2 methods can basically control the occurrence of stem rot in cuttings.

Precautions for Caring for Taxus Bonsai

1. Taxus likes a loose growing environment with good drainage, so a purple clay pot is Taxus's best “partner”.

2. In the sapling stage, Taxus likes shade and is not suited to strong light; it is suitable for growing and developing under indoor scattered light conditions. If it is under direct strong light in summer, it will cause burns to the young branches and young leaves, yellowing and withering of branches and leaves, and stunted growth, and in severe cases the whole plant will die. However, it should not be placed in a place that is too dark and has no light; it is best to have an appropriate amount of light every day, and a spot indoors near a window is more suitable.

3. It is best to place it in a place with good ventilation. An indoor, closed, poorly ventilated environment will cause Taxus leaves to curl and fall. It should also not be placed in a draft, otherwise the increased water evaporation will cause the plant's leaves to curl and dry up.

4. Watering Taxus should follow the principle of “do not water if not dry, and water thoroughly when watering”. Too much watering easily causes root rot. Whether watering is needed can be judged by the degree of moisture in the potting soil. The most direct way to judge is to insert a wooden stick 2 to 3 cm into the soil; if the soil feels dry and hard, then watering is needed. You can also knock on the pot with your hand and judge the dryness or moisture of the potting soil from the sound. When the pot makes a hollow sound, it means the soil is dry; when it makes a dull sound, it means the soil is still moist. Water until water flows out from the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. When watering, note that Taxus likes a slightly acidic medium environment; in areas where the water quality is alkaline, ferrous sulfate can be added to the water to adjust it. Also note that the difference between water temperature and soil temperature should not be too large. In summer when it is hot, watering should be done in the morning and evening, not under the midday sun; in winter when it is cold, watering should not be neglected either, and watering should be done at noon on clear days.

5. Spray water on the leaves to retain moisture. When caring for Taxus at home in northern regions, the humidity often “does not meet the standard”, so water needs to be sprayed on the leaf surface to increase humidity. When spraying water, note that because the leaf surface of Taxus has a waxy layer, water should be sprayed from the underside of the leaves, from bottom to top.

6. Foliar fertilizer (monopotassium phosphate) can be sprayed about once a month.