• Image of Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Duke Gardens'|Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC|JLBG
    |Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC|JLBG

Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Duke Gardens'

Duke Gardens Plum Yew

This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.

Shop Available Cephalotaxus

Item #: 3389

Zones: 5b to 9b, at least

Dormancy: Evergreen

Height: 30" tall

Culture: Sun to Shade

Origin: China, Japan, Taiwan

Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)


Okay, picture a normal yew that has been stepped on by an elephant...got the picture? Cephalotaxus 'Duke Gardens' is a remarkable plant, first discovered in Duke Gardens, NC in 1958, where it occurred as a branch mutation on a plant of Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata'. What resulted is a 30" tall x 60" wide shrub that is the perfect yew substitute in the heat of the South, and the perfect deer-resistant yew substitute for gardeners in the North. With some minor damage, Cephalotaxus 'Duke Gardens' has survived -24 degrees F at Bernheim Arboretum in KY. The soft, black-green foliage makes a fascinating textural plant that thrives in even the shadiest of woodland gardens.