You Learn Something New Everyday?

[Watto]

Yesterday I had the opportunity to dig a yew, a Taxus that looked to me like the standard Taxus baccata but it was covered in weeds and in amongst privets, ivy and other junk.
When it was successfully out (and that took some time) I discovered a nursery tag still attached and although it was weather beaten it disclosed that the tree was actually a Taxus X media Hicksii. A cross between baccata and cuspidata (European yew and Japanese yew) and I had never heard of it before. I'm not sure why you would want to cross them, but its been done and now I have one. I used the theory of getting it into the smallest practical pot after digging, this time a bonsai pot.
Apparently this one is a female so I should get red berries in the coming years, and I suppose flowers but I have never seen a yew flower so that may be exciting too.
And of course the obligatory photo to confirm the story

[TimIAm]

I'm assuming there are some risks with putting it in the smallest possible pot? Besides watering, is it riskier?

My amateur thinking has newly dug trees put into something more comfortable (while I pray for recovery).

[shibui]

I haven't heard of it either so just did some research. 'Hicksii' is usually a tall, thin form.
Berries require pollination from a nearby male so you may have to import another male tree to get the berries.
Technically yew are conifers so don't 'flower' but that's really getting pedantic.

Note that all parts of yew except the outer seed cover are toxic to humans. Even the pollen is known to be allergenic.

I believe that yew is moderately easy to transplant so good luck with this one.

[austindrake]

I have one of these - it was actually the only Yew that I could find at my local bonsai nursery. Just a small one for $15 or so to get the tree into my collection.
I think I read that this hybrid is particularly slow growing and stands up very well to frequent clipping... but Im not sure of its actual superiority or not to the standard baccata.

[Grant Bowie]

It is superior to fastigata in relation to size of foliage and compactness and probably not as temperamental.

Had a small one that became a big one in the garden, it dug up well and is still alive in another collection.

Grant

[Watto]

Tim, the smallest practical pot is my go to now, and the theory is that you don't want too much "unused" space in your pot that could possibly stay too wet until the roots take up that space.
I do have a baccata that I think is fastigata (Irish yew?) that I have been working on for a couple of years now so fingers crossed I might get some berries. Just on what Grant said, the "needle" length does appear to be slightly smaller so this may be a winner.

[TimS]

Man I wish I could come across big old Yews ready to begin the bonsai process!

[Keels]

Nice score Watto. I like it. How the wrist after digging that tree?

[Watto]

There was some course language

[Kevin]

Hello Watto,

Since this thread is all about learning something new, I'd just like to share what i have learnt and would like to learn.

What i have learnt: "toxic to humans"
I did a little research and discovered that comment to be an understatement (no offence intended). 50g of Yew leaves ingested is enough to kill a human. So with that in mind, unlike others, I'm glad i don't have one. I can imagine my wife, innocently going out to the garden thinking the Yew was a Herb and striping the leaves from a few branches and using them in a casserole or slow cooker.

What I'd like to learn:
I'm sorry but - What on earth is that object in the background, top middle of photo, between the trees fork It appears from here to be a tent erected on top of a pitched corrugated roof. One whacky idea i had was a DIY granny flat conversion on top of the chook house .
Any other ideas

Kevin

[DianeVictor]

Re the object in the background.
To me, it looks like one of those removable canopies for a ute or possibly a canopy for a boat but I would have thought a boat canopy would be too light and would blow off the roof in a decent wind.

[Watto]

Good eyes Diane, ute canopy.
Kevin, yews are grown as bonsai extensively in Japan, China, Taiwan, North America, Europe and especially in GB without issue. I see no reason to be concerned.