Arborvitae vs Common yew

Arborvitae and Common yew are often considered for the same spot in the garden (hedge, screening, specimen, container). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Arborvitae

Thuja occidentalis 3.5 m × 1.2 m after 10 years

A dense evergreen with scale-like foliage, planted in its columnar and conical forms (such as fast Brabant or slim Columna) as a clipped hedge or…

Hedge

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 19

Common yew

Taxus baccata 4 m × 2.1 m after 10 years

Its dense, dark green foliage makes a useful evergreen hedge or a clipped garden feature, even in shade. It tolerates pruning well, but eventually…

Hedge

Full sun

Part shade

Shade

from about PLN 6.40

Key differences

Arborvitae: We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. In Central Europe thuja hedges are dying on a large scale, for several reasons that reinforce each other. The plant comes from cool, humid sites and cannot cope with hot, dry summers without watering: shoot tips brown and whole branches die.
Common yew is highly toxic to children, dogs and cats: even a small amount can be life-threatening. Do not plant it where small children, dogs or cats go. Needles, shoots, bark and seeds are highly poisonous to people, dogs and cats; dried clippings remain dangerous. Only the fleshy red aril is non-toxic, while the seed inside is poisonous, so the fruit should not be treated as edible.
Common yew grows larger: 4 m × 2.1 m after ten years, against 3.5 m × 1.2 m for Arborvitae (an estimate: sources differ).
Common yew tolerates drought better than Arborvitae.
Common yew needs less water than Arborvitae.
Common yew also grows in shade, Arborvitae does not.

Which one to choose?

Common yew is the safer choice: we do not recommend planting Arborvitae in most gardens. Common yew is highly toxic: plant it only where no small children, dogs or cats are about.

Watch out for

Arborvitae

In Central Europe thuja hedges are dying on a large scale, for several reasons that reinforce each other. The plant comes from cool, humid sites and cannot cope with hot, dry summers without watering: shoot tips brown and whole branches die. Weakened plants are attacked by the juniper jewel beetle (Lamprodila festiva, also called Ovalisia festiva): its larvae eat the phloem under the bark, a branch or the whole plant suddenly turns red-brown and dies, and oval exit holes are left on the trunk. Nothing works against the larvae under the bark; infested parts can only be cut out and destroyed. Fungal shoot and scale-leaf blights and the thuja bark beetle add to the damage. For these reasons experts no longer advise planting new thuja hedges; yew, privet or a mixed hedge is a safer choice. The dwarf globe forms are the same species and suffer from drought and fungal browning just the same; the jewel beetle mainly goes for exposed, sun-warmed trunks, so it is less common on small globes branched to the ground, but nothing shows that they are immune. In winter frozen soil and wind can brown the foliage, and wet snow splays columnar forms apart.

Common yew

Waterlogged, poorly aerated soil can cause root rot and plant death. Prolonged hot, dry weather may require watering, especially while young; winter wind and sunshine can cause foliage browning. Scale insects, vine weevils and needle or shoot diseases can occur in Central Europe, but generally do not make it a poor garden choice. Male plants release allergenic pollen in spring.

The data side by side

Feature	Arborvitae	Common yew
Group	Hedge	Hedge
Size after 10 years	3.5 m × 1.2 m (uncertain)	4 m × 2.1 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	0.5–20 m × 0.5–4.5 m (uncertain)	10–20 m × 8–15 m
Growth rate	Medium (uncertain)	Slow (uncertain)
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade, Shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Calcareous	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -40 °C (USDA 3, RHS H7)	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Low	Low
Foliage	Evergreen	Evergreen
Flowering	no data	March–April, yellow, green
Water need	High	Medium
Drought tolerance	Low	Medium
Maintenance	Medium	Medium
Planted as a hedge	2.5 plants per running metre	3 plants per running metre
For dogs	Toxic (uncertain)	Highly toxic
For cats	Toxic (uncertain)	Highly toxic
For children	Toxic	Highly toxic
Typical price	approx. PLN 19	about PLN 8.60 (< 40 cm)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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