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Taxus baccata Fastigiata - Columnar Irish Yew
Posted: April 26th, 2011, 8:38 pm
by Chris Sirre
I dug this Taxus baccata Fastigiata or Columnar Irish Yew up out of the garden. I did plant it about 6 years ago and the plant was about 2-3 years old.It is a slow growing conifer with dark green, needle-like foliage. It will grow in sun or shade and trims very well. It dislikes wet soil. It may produce bright red berries in autumn.
It's growth habit will be a challenge as it is columnar. This particular tree has a nice base so I thought I will give it a go. I have pruned it back a bit but nothing else has been done. I will clear around the base in the next few days to see what the possible designs could be. Feel free to come up with suggestions.
Cheers,
Chris Sirre
Re: Taxus baccata Fastigiata - Columnar Irish Yew
Posted: July 24th, 2011, 8:02 pm
by nishiki3
any update on this potential bonsai
Re: Taxus baccata Fastigiata - Columnar Irish Yew
Posted: July 24th, 2011, 11:26 pm
by Roger
Hi Chris
I'm not going to even try to suggest how to style this. I'd like to make a comment by 'fastigiate' trees. The name, as you may know, refers to the way the branches all turn up and stay pretty close in to the trunk. The result is a bit like Roman cypresses, or those apparently wild ones of vanGogh. What intrigues me is the number of people who use these as bonsai material, but then fight against the very strong tendency of the tree to grow in the 'flame' shape. I've never seen a bonsai or photo of one that appears to have used the natural form of fastigiate trees as the model for their bonsai. I can see plenty of scope to do the standard simplification, expose the trunk and multiple upward trendiing branches so they can be seen/glimpsed. Even the wild swirls of vanGogh can be seen in these full size trees where a branch has broken free from the tangle and then hangs out, growing in fascinating swirls. I've not seen yews with this wildness, but I have seen ancient ones in England where the upright branches are still there after many centuries.
If you have the book 'meetings with remarkable trees' by Thomas Pakenham, or can borrow one, he has many spendid photos of ancient yews, though most are not 'fastigata', but they are mind bending and should stimulate some wonderful shapes you could try.
Good luck.
Roger