Plant library · Conifers & Evergreens
Podocarpus macrophyllus
Yew Pine is a dense, upright evergreen conifer that brings year-round structure to warm-climate planting plans. At about 20 feet tall and 8 feet wide, it reads as a substantial vertical element rather than a low foundation shrub. Use its narrow, dark presence to define a boundary, frame a view, or give a mixed border a taller evergreen back wall.
Place Yew Pine along property edges, behind lower planting layers, or beside broad entries where its eventual height will not crowd windows, eaves, or overhead lines. Its dense, upright habit suits a privacy screen or formal hedge, while regular clipping can hold a more deliberate outline. Keep the planting line far enough from paths and patios that future trimming can be done without blocking circulation or brushing into seating areas.
Set plants 4 feet apart, center to center, for a continuous hedge or screen. That close planting distance is for joining the row; each plant can ultimately occupy an 8-foot-wide presence if allowed to develop freely. On a single-specimen plan, reserve roughly 4 feet from its center to nearby walls, paths, and neighboring plants, then add a reachable maintenance strip along any side intended for clipping.
Give Yew Pine a full-sun position with moderate water, especially while it is settling into the bed. Well-drained soil is important: avoid low pockets where irrigation or rainwater stands around the root zone. A rich, slightly acidic soil supports reliable growth, while alkaline ground can lead to yellowing foliage.[1][2]
The evergreen canopy holds its screening role through winter, so allow for its shade and visual mass in every season rather than treating it as a temporary summer divider. In Zones 7 through 11, it can anchor the permanent framework of a bed or boundary. Where it is clipped, keep the hedge line accessible year-round for shaping.
Do not rely on a tight planting strip with persistently wet soil; this plant is poorly suited to saturated root conditions. In spaces with alkaline soil, leave enough room to observe and address foliage yellowing without dismantling adjacent planting. Its slow growth can make a young screen look open at first, so plan the initial view rather than expecting immediate full-height enclosure.[1][2]
Editorial content updated 2026-07-20.