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Captain Upright Pyramidal Yew

Taxus cuspidata 'Captain'

Nature Hills Nursery
$9640
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Plant Size

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: This classic evergreen is remarkably tolerant, thriving in conditions from full sun to heavy shade. For the most vigorous growth and densest foliage, site it in a spot that receives morning sun and afternoon shade, or filtered light throughout the day.
  • Soil: A Yew's biggest requirement is excellent drainage; standing water is a death sentence for the roots. Amend heavy clay soils with compost and pine fines to improve aeration, or if your soil is extremely sandy, incorporate organic matter like leaf mold to help retain some moisture and nutrients.

Watering Requirements

For the first growing season, water deeply once or twice a week, allowing the top two inches of soil to dry out between waterings to help the root system establish. A mature Yew is quite drought tolerant but performs best when given supplemental water during extended dry spells. Prolonged water stress can cause needle burn and slow its elegant, upright growth, compromising its tight form.

Pruning Tips

Yews are extremely forgiving and can be pruned back into old wood, as they reliably sprout new growth from dormant buds, making them one of the best evergreens for shaping. Perform your main reduction or corrective pruning in late winter or early spring before the new growth appears, which allows the plant to quickly recover and set its new form for the season. For light shearing to maintain the pyramidal shape, wait until the first flush of growth has hardened off in late spring.

Fertilizer Needs

These evergreens are not heavy feeders; apply a slow-release, balanced granular fertilizer formulated for trees and shrubs in early spring, just as new growth begins. A light application every 2 to 3 years is often sufficient for established plants. Crucially, avoid applying high-nitrogen fertilizers late in the growing season (after mid-summer), as this stimulates tender new growth that will not have time to harden before winter and will be highly susceptible to freeze damage.

Delivery and Shipping

Preorder Shipping Schedule

We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.

Zone 3-4 Week of March 30th
Zone 5 Week of March 16th
Zone 6 Week of March 2nd
Zone 7-12 Week of February 23rd


Shipping Rates

Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50 $9.99
$50 - $99.99 $14.99
$100 - $149.99 $16.99
$150 - $198.99 $24.99
$199+ FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee
Plant Sentry Protected

Plant Sentry™ Protected

Your order is protected by our compliance system that:

  • Prevents restricted plants from shipping to your state
  • Ensures plants meet your state's agricultural requirements
  • Protects gardens from invasive pests and diseases

Learn more about Plant Sentry™

Upright and showy, fine-textured deep evergreen of Captain™ Upright Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata 'Fastigiata') looks incredible in the landscape! Fluffy-looking shrubs with bolt upright growth, Captain features shiny deep-green foliage with unique emerald-green new growth that contrasts well against the dark green needles.

Showy red berries accent the shrub in fall if a male is nearby to pollinate. Plus exfoliating red-brown bark for added character! Dense and multi-branched shrubs, Yews offers loads of year-round greenery and dependability!

Fast-growing, these can be pruned and sheared. Growing ten feet plus in height and half as wide when left unpruned, It is easily trimmed once a year to keep at most any size you prefer. Japanese Yews appreciate some protection from open windy sites in the colder climates (zones 4-6). Be mindful that the red berry-like seed cones are toxic, so keep pets and small children away from them.

Planting and Application:

Taking pruning like a champ, Captain™ is perfect for screening and privacy! Use as a specimen planting or focal point alone or kick things up a notch and try your hand at shearing and shaping these as a formal Hedge or Topiary evergreen! Fantastic privacy screens around your patio or as a perimeter planting, Captain™ is a great Windbreak and shelterbelt plant!

Use in meditation, Zen and Asian-inspired gardens, Foundation plantings or flank your entry with these formal steady evergreen shrubs! Left unpruned, these fluffy shrubs also serve as impressive backdrop plants to highlight all your beds and borders! Looking lovely along a fence to enhance (or hide) the view!

  • Upright Evergreen With Emerald Green New Growth
  • Deep-Green Soft Needles
  • Red, Showy Berries on Female Plants
  • Windbreak & Shelterbelt Plantings
  • Pyramidal Shape for Hedges & Screening

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Imagine an evergreen that tolerates full sun through full shade! Only requiring a well-drained site throughout USDA hardiness zones 4-9. Yew prefers evenly moist, well-drained soils but is drought tolerant once established. Japanese Yew will not tolerate standing water which leads to root rot. Mulch the roots to insulate and maintain more consistently moistened soil.

  • Sun or Shade, Rare for an Evergreen!
  • All Moist, Well-Drained Soils
  • Easily Maintained With Pruning
  • Very Cold Hardy & Drought Tolerant Once Established
  • Easy Care & Low Maintenance

For easy care and an excellent hedge or topiary shrub, you can't go wrong with the deep evergreen foliage of Captain™ Upright Japanese Yew! Order yours from Nature Hills today!

Growing Zones 4-7

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