Yew (Taxus) Care Methods and Precautions
Plants all need love and care, so how should you care for the ever-green, beautifully shaped yew (Taxus)?
1. The yew is an excellent potted foliage plant; it prefers shade and humidity, avoids direct sunlight, and is drought-tolerant. Therefore, it should not be given full light, and in summer it needs appropriate shading. Especially from July to August each year, under full light and strong light, the chlorophyll in the leaves is destroyed, causing young trees to die. The best light for the yew is from 7 am to 11 am each day, about 4 hours of light; in summer the light duration should be shorter, and in autumn and spring the light duration can be longer. However, no light at all also affects the yew's photosynthesis and growth. Remember, it must not be placed in a spot with western exposure, and should not be placed near air conditioner vents or radiators, otherwise the moisture in the yew's leaves will evaporate, and it will easily become dehydrated and dry out.
2. The yew likes acidic soil. It is best to use loose, fertile, water-retentive and breathable soil. In addition, when fertilizing, note that you should fertilize along the pot wall as much as possible, and must not get close to the yew's roots. Generally, newly purchased yew bonsai come with nutrient soil, so no fertilizing is needed within three months; after three months, fertilize once every two to three months.
3. Regarding water requirements, when cultivating the yew you should observe the surface of the potting soil. If it is slightly yellowish-white and the leaves are slightly curled, there is no need to water the soil; simply mist the leaf surface. When the soil in the pot turns white, you should water the potting soil. Remember to water thoroughly in one go, so the potting soil fully absorbs enough water.
4. Compared with ordinary plants, the yew, with its shade tolerance, low-temperature tolerance, evergreen nature, strong stress resistance and tolerance of rough management, is more suitable for indoor placement. It is very tolerant of low temperatures; in summer temperatures reach above 40 degrees, and in winter temperatures drop below zero. With such a large temperature difference across the four seasons, the yew can still grow well and has quite strong vitality. It is a typical lazy person's plant, requiring no frequent watering or soil turning, suitable for rough management, easy to keep alive, and very suitable for planting by today's urban groups with a fast-paced lifestyle.
If you want it to grow healthily, it needs your effort.
Yew Care Methods
The yew's leaves are evergreen and dark green, and its aril is fleshy and red, quite beautiful, and it can be used as a garden tree. Species of this genus have strong shade tolerance, grow slowly in natural forests, are scattered in distribution, and wild trees are becoming fewer day by day. How do you care for the yew? What uses does the yew have? Here the editor has carefully summarized some knowledge on yew care methods and uses. Come and learn about it with the editor; I hope it helps you in life!
Potted yew
Yew care1. The yew is an excellent potted foliage plant; it prefers shade and humidity, avoids direct sunlight, and is drought-tolerant. Therefore, it should not be given full light, and in summer it needs appropriate shading. Especially from July to August each year, under full light and strong light, the chlorophyll in the leaves is destroyed, causing young trees to die. The best light for the yew is from 7 am to 11 am each day, about 4 hours of light; in summer the light duration should be shorter, and in autumn and spring the light duration can be longer. However, no light at all also affects the yew's photosynthesis and growth. Remember, it must not be placed in a spot with western exposure, and should not be placed near air conditioner vents or radiators, otherwise the moisture in the yew's leaves will evaporate, and it will easily become dehydrated and dry out.
2. The yew likes acidic soil. It is best to use loose, fertile, water-retentive and breathable soil. In addition, when fertilizing, note that you should fertilize along the pot wall as much as possible, and must not get close to the yew's roots. Generally, newly purchased yew bonsai come with nutrient soil, so no fertilizing is needed within three months; after three months, fertilize once every two to three months.
3. Regarding water requirements, when cultivating the yew you should observe the surface of the potting soil. If it is slightly yellowish-white and the leaves are slightly curled, there is no need to water the soil; simply mist the leaf surface. When the soil in the pot turns white, you should water the potting soil. Remember to water thoroughly in one go, so the potting soil fully absorbs enough water.
4. Compared with ordinary plants, the yew, with its shade tolerance, low-temperature tolerance, evergreen nature, strong stress resistance and tolerance of rough management, is more suitable for indoor placement. It is very tolerant of low temperatures; in summer temperatures reach above 40 degrees, and in winter temperatures drop below zero. With such a large temperature difference across the four seasons, the yew can still grow well and has quite strong vitality. It is a typical lazy person's plant, requiring no frequent watering or soil turning, suitable for rough management, easy to keep alive, and very suitable for planting by today's urban groups with a fast-paced lifestyle.
Fruiting yew
The uses of yew1. It has powerful anti-cancer effects. Paclitaxel extracted from the yew's bark and leaves has outstanding efficacy against various advanced cancers, and is called "the last line of defense in treating cancer". The yew's roots, stems, leaves and fruits are all treasures. Paclitaxel extracted mainly from yew plants is used for treating advanced breast cancer, advanced ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, bladder cancer, lymphoma, prostate cancer, malignant melanoma and head and neck tumors, upper gastrointestinal cancer, and small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. Experience has proven that paclitaxel has a unique anti-tumor mechanism and a significant tumor-inhibiting effect.
2. The yew also has therapeutic effects on other diseases. It contains large amounts of taxine diterpenoid compounds, taxinine, taxinine A, taxinine H, taxinine K, taxinine L, taxine, taxusin and many other elements, which can help with menstrual pain, diuresis, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood sugar, anti-leukemia, anti-tumor, and has significant effects on treating diabetes and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
3. Besides its value for extracting medicine, the yew's aril is also edible, sweet and sour, and stimulates appetite. The leaves can also be eaten raw, and have anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects, and its seeds can also be pressed for oil. Some people also combine enzymes extracted from the yew's paclitaxel with essential oils and so on to make beauty skincare products, which can provide moisturizing and blood circulation regulating effects.
Care precautions for newly purchased yew
Care precautions for newly purchased yew
For a newly purchased yew, extra care is still needed in terms of maintenance. After buying it and taking it home, you will first encounter the problem of a change in environment, and at this time the yew will spend a great deal of energy adapting to the new environment.
First, pay attention to watering. If there is one biggest environmental difference before and after buying it and taking it home, it is probably moisture. Before being bought and taken home, the yew's growing environment was mostly a greenhouse with relatively high humidity. After buying it and taking it home, in order to help it adapt to the home environment as quickly as possible, you need to mist the plant frequently, but do not spray too much at one time; you can spray several times, and you can spray a bit more on the undersides of the leaves, because the undersides of the leaves have a relatively strong ability to absorb water. Basically, you can decide how many times to spray each day according to temperature changes, but it is best not to spray water at night.
Second, pay attention to fertilizing. A newly bought yew is still relatively tender, so when caring for it at this time it is best not to apply too much fertilizer, and try not to spray fertilizer on the leaf surface.
Pruning precautions for newly purchased yew
A newly bought yew needs appropriate pruning. This is because when the yew is transplanted into a pot, some harm may be caused to its roots, leading to an imbalance in the nutrient supply to the branches and leaves. At this time the leaves evaporate a great deal of water, but the root system's absorption is not enough to meet that evaporation. Therefore, at this time you can prune the branches and leaves appropriately to reduce water loss.
The yew's sprouting ability is relatively strong, and after pruning it can quickly sprout new branches and leaves; pay attention to pruning for shape.