Whether you love or hate prune, trimming and shaping your garden foliage, it’s a job that can eat up hours of your time, which is – for many – enough to put it off! But what if there was a robust landscaping shrub that you didn’t have to prune, but you could if you really wanted to? It could keep everyone happy! I’m talking about the Taxus Rising Star: my latest Plant of the Month.
How to grow Taxus Rising StarFlowering time: None/insignificant Location: Patio pot, hedge, landscaping Soil: Moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil Light: Full sun or partial shade Water: Water freely in summer and sparingly in winter Care: Needs frost protection during cold winters in unsheltered locations Size: 200cm height and 60cm spread |
How was this plant created?
Taxus Rising Star was created by growers at De Buurte nurseries in The Netherlands around 20 years ago. It was found between other Taxus media types grown at the nursery (Hicksii and Hillii).
The growers saw that the plant had a different growth habit in comparison to others. It grew more upright and as busy as Hicksii, and even as Hillii. De Buurte selected and produced the plant across 10 years before sales really picked up. The plant has been achieving great popularity for the last 10 years.
After many years of planting, Taxus Rising Star has become extremely low maintenance, with very little outfall – even in harsh conditions. What has emerged is a very hardy plant that will withstand drought and all sorts of weather conditions.
What’s different about this plant?
With its dense and uniform growth, Taxus Rising Star is the low-maintenance gardener’s best friend. It was named ‘Rising Star’ due to its excellent upright growth, reaching up to two metres in height and just over a quarter of that in spread.Â
|
Did you know? Taxus Rising Star is a male plant, so you won’t be bothered by any poisonous berries emerging! However, remember to always do your research when installing new plants in your garden, especially if you have children or pets. |
Where can you plant Taxus Rising Star?
This plant’s habit makes it ideal for pots, tall hedges and exquisite landscaping arrangements. Place it in a sunny or partially shaded spot with moist but well-draining soil, as Taxus does not tolerate damp conditions.
Where can you buy this plant?
Taxus Rising Star is available in Europe from Leader Plants, and North America at Jardin Jasmin. If in the UK, please check with your local garden centre.
Plant of the Month is sponsored by Plantipp, a company based in The Netherlands who handle the introduction of new plants into Europe.
See every Plant of the Month here.
Michael has been involved with gardening and plants since he was just five years old. He is a self-professed Plant Geek, and was listed in the Sunday Times top 20 most influential people in the gardening world, thanks to his plant hunter role at Thompson & Morgan.
Michael was responsible for new plant introductions such as the Egg and Chips plant and the FuchsiaBerry and keeps busy travelling the world in search of new plants as well as lecturing worldwide, including stints in Japan. He is very active on social media – so why not give him a follow at @mr_plantgeek or Facebook – and writes a plant-focused Substack called Grow This, Not That.
Leave a Reply
