Irish yew vs Common yew

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

Irish yew

Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata' 3 m × 90 cm after 10 years

A dark green, strictly upright column that copes with full sun and deep shade alike, so it gives a vertical accent even where other evergreens would…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

Shade

from about PLN 20

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

Common yew grows larger: 4 m × 2.1 m after ten years, against 3 m × 90 cm for Irish yew (an estimate: sources differ).
Common yew is hardier: down to -29 °C, against -23 °C for Irish yew.
Common yew also takes heavy clay, Irish yew needs a loose, free-draining soil.
Irish yew needs less care than Common yew.
Common yew has pollen that can cause allergies, Irish yew does not (an estimate: sources differ).

Which one to choose?

Irish yew is the better choice if space is tight, you have little time for care or someone in the family has a pollen allergy.

Common yew is the better choice if the garden is cold or a frost pocket or the soil is heavy clay.

Watch out for

Irish yew

Root rot kills it in waterlogged, airless soil. Vine weevil larvae feed on the roots and scale insects on the shoots. Heavy wet snow can splay the upright branches, so tie them in loosely for winter. It is a female clone and drops plenty of red fruit in autumn.

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	Irish yew	Common yew
Group	Shrub	Hedge
Size after 10 years	3 m × 90 cm (uncertain)	4 m × 2.1 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	3–10 m × 1–3 m	10–20 m × 8–15 m
Growth rate	Slow	Slow (uncertain)
Light	Full sun, Part shade, Shade	Full sun, Part shade, Shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Medium (uncertain)	Low
Foliage	Evergreen	Evergreen
Flowering	no data	March–April, yellow, green
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	Medium
Maintenance	Low	Medium
Planting distance	100 cm	250 cm
For dogs	Highly toxic	Highly toxic
For cats	Highly toxic	Highly toxic
For children	Highly toxic	Highly toxic
Typical price	approx. PLN 20	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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