How to prune fastigiata yew

Late winter to early spring; snow or ice damage removed promptly. Trim wayward or outward-splaying branches back to a healthy upward lateral within the column, or back to bare wood if needed — Taxus re-buds from old stems. For spreading mature specimens, tie in loose branches or cut them back hard in late winter.

As needed; light tidy annually. Fastigiata Yew (Irish Yew) is a narrow, upright columnar form with naturally dense habit. It needs little routine pruning — mostly remove dead wood and any branches that break outward from the column. Yews tolerate hard cutting back to old wood, so if it broadens with age, it can be renovated.

Trim wayward or outward-splaying branches back to a healthy upward lateral within the column, or back to bare wood if needed — Taxus re-buds from old stems. For spreading mature specimens, tie in loose branches or cut them back hard in late winter.