WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Taxus baccata, WUCOLS IV

How often to water English yew in California

In July in the Central Valley, established English yew in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy, about 47 gallons a week. English yew is a dense, long lived evergreen conifer with soft, dark green needles held in flat sprays. It performs best in soil that stays consistently moist and drains well, never fully drying out or sitting wet. This is not a plant for a tough, neglected corner of the yard.

ShrubTreeRated for 5 of 6 zones

How often to water English yew, month by month

Your city
Canopy width
10 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for English yew and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area under the branches, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure canopy width

A tree with its canopy width marked across the widest branches and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the branches, from the tips of the outer leaves on one side to the tips on the other. A tape works, or pace it out.

Water the whole circle under the branches, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that circle.

A wider canopy means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While the tree is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Needles turning a dull olive or bronze in hot, dry weather can signal the root zone has dried too far
  • New growth failing to appear at branch tips through spring warrants a soil check
  • Needle tips browning after a stretch without rain in a hot inland spot suggests dry soil
  • Foliage discoloring while the ground beneath stays wet can indicate root rot from poor drainage
  • Branches dying back low on the plant can follow either prolonged dryness or waterlogged soil

How to water it

  • Water English yew across its full root spread rather than at a single point near the trunk
  • Soak the soil evenly and let only the top inch or two dry before watering again
  • Plant in soil that drains well, since standing water around the roots invites rot
  • Keep a mulch layer over the root zone to buffer moisture swings in hot weather
  • Widen the watered circle as a young plant grows into a larger shrub or tree

Through the seasons

A newly planted English yew needs regular soil checks through its first year or two while roots spread into surrounding ground. Established plants cope with dry spells better than young ones, but this is a moderate water plant, so summer still calls for regular soil checks. Cooler season rain on the coast, in the Central Valley and on the south coast can help cover part of that need, though summer still calls for attention. WUCOLS rates English yew moderate water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley, on the south coast, in South Inland and in the high desert. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the low desert, where extreme heat works against this cool climate conifer.

In pots

A potted English yew needs a container large enough to hold moisture without staying soggy. Check the mix a couple of inches down through California summer heat and water before it dries hard. Let excess drain fully from the holes, then empty the saucer so roots are not left standing in water. Shelter the pot from intense afternoon sun in a hot inland area. In winter, keep watering steady but reduced, since this evergreen never fully stops needing moisture.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
2.67gal per sq ft in JulyModerate water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
17.11 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.761.52.33.00.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.761.52.33.00.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

English Yew: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.780.780.74–
Feb0.530.650.810.870.93–
Mar0.871.091.151.31.46–
Apr1.181.521.41.611.89–
May1.462.081.611.952.39–
Jun1.612.481.742.292.85–
Jul1.612.671.982.513.04–
Aug1.492.391.862.332.79–
Sep1.241.81.491.862.14–
Oct0.871.181.151.331.46–
Nov0.470.560.840.90.93–
Dec0.310.340.650.680.65–
Year1217.1115.518.4121.27–

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated moderate water in the Central Valley, like English yew. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

RosesRosa hybrids..bushmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCitrus TreesCitrus spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAzaleasRhododendron spp. (CA native and non-native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCamelliasCamellia japonica (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGardeniasGardenia spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyJapanese MapleAcer palmatummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAvocado TreesPersea americanamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae (shade in desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHibiscusHibiscus rosa-sinensismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyMagnolia TreesMagnolia grandiflora ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPalm TreesSyagrus romanzoffiana (Arecastrum romanzoffianum)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySago PalmCycas revolutamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyStar JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyApple TreesMalus spp. (edible) e.g, 'Anna' (low chill variety for low desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPeach TreesPrunus spp. ediblemoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPersimmon TreesDiospyros kakimoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than English yew in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

LavenderLavandula spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRosemaryRosmarinus officinalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyOlive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFig TreesFicus carica ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCrape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyLantanaLantana camara ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyAloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPomegranate TreesPunica granatumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyEucalyptusEucalyptus polyanthemoslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPine TreesPinus canariensislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyJunipersJuniperus spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySagebrushArtemisia spp. (shrubby)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes English yew, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water English yew in summer?

In July, established English yew in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days in the Central Valley, about every 11 days on the south coast and about every 9 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does English yew need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established English yew needs about 6.8 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 27 gallons a day under a 20 foot canopy. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for English yew change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates English yew separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, moderate water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not suited to this region in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Is English yew safe to plant where children or pets play?

No part of this plant is safe to eat except the fleshy red covering around the seed, and even that seed is toxic if chewed. Keep it away from areas where children or grazing animals spend unsupervised time. Placement decisions should account for this risk as much as watering does.

Can English yew handle a hot, dry inland yard?

It dislikes extreme heat, so a hot inland site is hard on it. Choose a spot with some relief from intense afternoon sun. Established plants cope with dry spells, but young plants and potted ones need steady soil checks.

Why is my English yew turning brown in patches?

Winter burn from cold, drying wind can scorch foliage, especially on an exposed plant. Compare the pattern with soil moisture at the root zone before assuming a watering problem. Sheltering an exposed plant can prevent repeat damage.

Can I shape English yew into a hedge?

Yes, it tolerates shearing well and is a traditional hedging conifer. Check soil moisture before and after a hard trim, since fresh growth draws on the root system. Keep the base of a hedge as moist as an individual specimen.

Why does my English yew look thin at the base?

Dense shade from the plant's own canopy can thin the lowest growth over time. That gradual pattern differs from sudden browning tied to dry or waterlogged soil. Unlike most conifers, yew can regrow from old wood after a hard cut.

Does English yew grow well in the low desert?

No, this conifer is not considered suited to low desert heat. Gardeners there should choose a different evergreen instead of trying to keep an English yew alive through extreme summers. No amount of extra watering reliably offsets that heat.

More plant watering guides

Night JessamineChilean JessamineEvergreen ClematisBushy ClematisHarlequin GlorybowerSakakiLily of the ValleyEddie's White Wonder Dogwood

Sources