What's eating my standishii yew?

Standishii Yew is a slow-growing golden columnar form of Taxus baccata. Black vine weevil and scale are the primary pest threats, as with other English yew cultivars. Its compact size means infestations can overwhelm a small specimen quickly. Deer readily browse the golden foliage. Wet soil causes Phytophthora root rot, a common cause of decline.

Scalloped notches on foliage margins; root-feeding larvae damage the root system, causing wilting and foliage browning — particularly devastating on slow-growing specimens that recover slowly. Apply Steinernema kraussei nematodes in late August to September. Sticky traps at plant base to intercept adults. Imidacloprid drench for persistent root infestations.

Brown soft scales on stems in early summer; crawlers colonize new growth; heavy infestations cause needle drop and twig dieback. Dormant horticultural oil spray in late winter; follow with insecticidal soap when crawlers emerge in June.

White waxy clusters at stem joints; honeydew and sooty mold develop; the golden foliage discolors. Improve airflow around the specimen. Apply insecticidal soap or a systemic insecticide targeting crawlers in early summer.

Golden foliage browsed from reachable branches; repeated browsing can remove the majority of the canopy on a small, slow-growing column. Deer repellent sprays reapplied every 3–4 weeks; physical fencing is most reliable for small, high-value specimens.