Growli
Let's go

Plant care

Standish's Golden Yew (Standishii Yew) care

Taxus baccata 'Standishii'

Also called Standish's Golden Yew, Standishii Yew, Golden Fastigiate Yew.

RHS H6USDA 5-7Toxic to petsIndoor 1.5–2 m tall and 0.5–0.6 m wide after 20 years

Watering rhythm

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Moderate — once established, rarely needs irrigation in UK climates

Jump to schedule→Get smart reminders in the app

Light

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Soil

Well-drained, fertile loam; tolerates chalk and clay

Humidity

Low to moderate (30–60%)

Temp

-20°C to 30°C

Pet safety

Toxic to pets

Mature size

1.5–2 m tall and 0.5–0.6 m wide after 20 years

Care at a glance

Light

Most houseplants will scorch where standish's golden yew thrives. Give it the windowsill you'd otherwise leave empty because everything else burned there. Golden-foliaged yews require full sun to develop and retain their best yellow colour; in partial shade the foliage reverts toward green. Unlike most golden conifers, 'Standishii' holds its colour well year-round in a sunny, open position. A plant moved abruptly from low light to direct sun bleaches in 48 hours — always acclimatise over a week.

Watering

Aim for moderate — once established, rarely needs irrigation in uk climates for standish's golden yew, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Water weekly for the first 2–3 years; established yews are drought-tolerant but benefit from deep watering during extended dry spells to maintain vigour and needle colour.

Soil and pot

Standish's Golden Yew grows best in well-drained, fertile loam; tolerates chalk and clay. Yews are famously adaptable to a wide pH range (5.5–7.5) and most soil types, but waterlogging is fatal; if planting in clay, incorporate grit and raise the bed slightly to ensure the roots are never in standing water. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Standish's Golden Yew sits happiest at around Low to moderate (30–60%) humidity and -20°C to 30°C (-4°F to 86°F). Tolerates the full range of UK atmospheric conditions; in very dry, exposed positions mulch the root zone generously to prevent moisture stress, which causes needle browning on the interior branches. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed standish's golden yew sparingly. Feed once in early spring with a balanced granular fertiliser; yews are slow growers and require minimal feeding — excess nitrogen produces soft, lax growth that spoils the tight columnar form. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on standish's golden yew in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Phytophthora root and collar rot — Waterlogged conditions allow Phytophthora cinnamomi to attack the root collar, causing rapid browning from the base up and resinous cankers at the soil line. Improve drainage immediately; no chemical cure is reliable once symptoms are advanced.
  • Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) — C-shaped white grubs feed on roots through autumn and winter, causing sudden wilting and death in container-grown or young specimens. Apply Steinernema kraussei nematodes (biological control) to moist soil in September, or use imidacloprid as a soil drench.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings 10–15 cm long taken with a heel in late summer to autumn root well in a cold frame over winter; use IBA rooting hormone powder and ensure the cutting medium is free-draining. Rooting takes 3–5 months. This cultivar must be propagated vegetatively to maintain its golden, fastigiate character. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Standish's Golden Yew is toxic to pets. Taxus baccata is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to dogs and cats (and horses and humans). The toxic principle is taxine alkaloids (taxine A and B), present in the needles, bark, and seeds. Ingestion causes vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, cardiac arrhythmia, and can be rapidly fatal. The fleshy red aril contains minimal taxine but the hard seed within is highly toxic. Extreme caution is required around pets and children. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Standish's Golden Yew care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Taxus baccata 'Standishii'?

Taxus baccata 'Standishii' is most commonly called Standish's Golden Yew, but it is also known as Standish's Golden Yew, Standishii Yew, Golden Fastigiate Yew. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Standish's Golden Yew apply identically to anything sold as Standishii Yew.

How much light does standish's golden yew need?

Standish's Golden Yew grows best in direct sun (at least 4-6 hours). Golden-foliaged yews require full sun to develop and retain their best yellow colour; in partial shade the foliage reverts toward green. Unlike most golden conifers, 'Standishii' holds its colour well year-round in a sunny, open position.

How often should I water standish's golden yew?

Water standish's golden yew moderate — once established, rarely needs irrigation in uk climates. Water weekly for the first 2–3 years; established yews are drought-tolerant but benefit from deep watering during extended dry spells to maintain vigour and needle colour. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is standish's golden yew toxic to cats and dogs?

Standish's Golden Yew is toxic to pets. Taxus baccata is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to dogs and cats (and horses and humans). The toxic principle is taxine alkaloids (taxine A and B), present in the needles, bark, and seeds. Ingestion causes vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, cardiac arrhythmia, and can be rapidly fatal. The fleshy red aril contains minimal taxine but the hard seed within is highly toxic. Extreme caution is required around pets and children.

What USDA hardiness zone does standish's golden yew grow in?

Standish's Golden Yew is rated for USDA zone 5-7 and RHS hardiness H6. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

Standish's Golden Yew deep-dive guides

Every aspect of standish's golden yew care, each with its own calibrated guide:

Featured in these plant shortlists

Standish's Golden Yew qualifies for 4 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

Related guides

Standish's Golden Yew is also known as Standish's Golden Yew, Standishii Yew, and Golden Fastigiate Yew.