60 or 70 years, and they were then apparently as tall as they are now, but not so much spread out. I cannot accurately estimate their height and girth, but they are the two largest upright yews I have seen."
At Brockhill,[1] Worcester, there are two large Irish yews, estimated by Mr. Lees to have been at least 100 years old. Very handsome specimens are also growing at Montacute House, Somerset.
The Irish yew is very effective as a garden tree, but requires pruning and wiring every two or three years in order to keep it in good shape. There is at Colesborne a terrace planted on both sides with Irish yews about 50 years ago, which are kept in shape by wire, and when so treated are of very uniform growth and habit.
Taxus fastigiata aurea is a form of the Irish yew, in which the young shoots are golden yellow. In Taxus fastigiata argentea the tips of the branchlets are white.
2. Var. Chesthuntensis.
- Taxus baccata Chesthuntensis, Gordon, Pinet. Suppl. 98 (1862).
This was raised by William Paul of the Cheshunt Nursery from a seed of the Irish yew, which it resembles. The branches, however, are ascending, but not so erect as in the parent form. The leaves have an acute apex, and resemble in colour those of the Irish yew, being dark green and shining on the upper surface; they are broader and shorter than those of the common yew. It is less formal than the Irish yew, and is said to grow twice as fast.
3. Var. elegantissima.—This was raised, according to Barron,[2] by Fox of the Wetley Rock Nurseries, who had an Irish and a golden yew growing together, from which this came as a seedling. It is generally a dense compact shrub, but forms occur which are more open in habit. The leaves are usually radially spreading, but are often two-ranked on some of the branchlets; they are long, and terminate gradually in a long, fine cartilaginous point. Young leaves are golden yellow; adult leaves have white margins.
4. Var. erecta.
- Taxus baccata erecta, Loudon, loc. cit. 2068 (1838).
- Taxus baccata Crowderi, Gordon, Pin. Suppl. 98 (1862).
- Taxus baccata stricta, Hort.
A dense broad shrub with erect and ascending branches. The leaves are dark green, shining, short, and acute; and are usually radially arranged, but often on the lower branchlets are disposed in two ranks.
The Nidpath Yew[3] resembles this variety, but is more columnar in habit, with a tendency to spread at the top. The leaves, as seen on a shrub at Kew, are bluish green, and usually are all radially arranged.
A variety named imperialis is described as being a slender, tall form with ascending branches and dark green leaves.
