Horticultural name used for what appears to be same as typical Japanese yew. Descriptions of original wild Taxus cuspidata may pretty much fit.

Thank you for your response bboy, but I'm afraid it doesn't clarify anything for me. I'm not very knowledgeable about most evergreens and shrubs, so I'm not sure what you're saying regarding the height of the Capitata.

Anne

Guess I'm tired. While I am concerned about the actual height of the Capitata, it's the WIDTH and distance apart that I really need to know for planting!

Anne

Descriptions you have read or might read of straight Taxus cuspidata, without 'Capitata' in the name will probably pertain to what you have or are considering buying.

Here is a link that might be useful: Myth of Uniform Plant Performance

go to the link.. the conifer society ... find the article on growth rates of conifers ....

then go to the database and use the Latin name bboy gave you .... and find out the growth rates for your plant ...

then take into account that you will be reducing those rates based on the amount, or lack of, sun they get ... we cant really guess at the impact of this variable ...

MOST sizes given at at 10 years... they really never stop growing thereafter... and will continue at their growth rate ..... you probably saw a 10 year estimate.. and a actual old measured tree ... how yours will grow is really unknown ...

if it were me.. i would ID plants that grow in shade.. and i would diversify my planting as some will do better than others .... NEVER .. IMHO .. plant all of one thing ...

and finally ... shade will make a transplant take longer to regrow roots .. to become 're-established' .... complicated by the size you are contemplating ... smaller stock usually recovers faster from transplant .... and out grows a larger transplant in 5 years .... consider such in your plans ....

good luck
ken

Here is a link that might be useful: acs

Thank you both for the links. bboy, I read yours, and it is very helpful. Ken, I found a little bit on growth rates under "Conifer Information", but did a search and couldn't find an article. There was no info that I could find in the database on the size of the Capitata. But thanks for your helpful explanation above; it, and bboy's article tell me what I need to know.

Anne

conifer growth rates at link .. they call it the INTRODUCTION ... ken

Here is a link that might be useful: conifer growth rates

yikes no growth info ... aint that a bummer...

copy paste this into your browser:

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=RNWE,RNWE:2005-14,RNWE:en&q=Taxus+cuspidata+%27Capitata%27++++++++

more specifically [and note they say it has a slow growth rate.. ergo refer back to the acs info on what is slow ... maybe 3 to 6 inches per year?????]:

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/t/taxcus/taxcus1.html

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Ken, thanks again for your great info!

I meant "Introduction", not "Information". (Short memory when I'm tired.) Thanks for the UConn site--VERY helpful for everything! I'd previously done a Google search, but had not come up with a couple of sites that appeared with yours that had good stuff.

The landscaper who will put in our boulder retaining wall/long window well was over yesterday, and I told him what I had planned for planting in the area between the wall and the lot line. When I told him Canadian hemlocks and Capitata yews (on a previous thread, I'd tried to sort out which of these might be best--I figured that I had too much shade for spruces once the oak leaves were fully out), he said they'd be straggly due to the amount of shade. He said I have a perfect site for rhododendrons, which I love. (Oak tree canopy for some acidity, sandy soil for good drainage.)

I'm a little confused since I thought rhodies needed less shade than yews or hemlocks. A guy at one of our largest nurseries also discouraged me from using the hemlocks--same reason. But maybe the openness of rhodies and fewer flowers in shade would be preferable to straggly yews and hemlocks? My sister has wild rhodies under pines at her house in the Poconos; don't know how close to this rhodies would look in Michigan.

Right now I'm thinking to put a CN hemlock near the lot line to block the largest part of the neighbor's house on the south, and another one near the west lot line to block the opening to another neighbor's house in that direction. Then maybe scatter 3 or 4 Capitatas to block parts of the rest of their houses. And fill in randomly with tall-growing rhodies so hopefully the whole area still looks natural? Our lot and the neighbors' have lots of young to middle-aged oaks providing shade. Since some of the trees/shrubs I'm considering require "winter protection" (not sure if I'm understanding this term as it relates to my choices), will these tree trunks in the winter provide enough of a windbreak from the southwest winds? This would be along about 200' of the lot line. Would this work, or am I overcrowding things! The lot is an irregular shape, so there's enough space between the house and the lot line. I'm wondering if I might be making the LENGTH of the lot line to busy and less natural looking. I just want to screen the houses, not create a windbreak.

Anne

that's because i used the Latin name instead of the common name... those scientists at uconn... in fact all of them .. tend to use proper Latin names... but jump off that soap box ...

you need to get ye to an arboretum ... u of m has one... hidden lakes in tipton MI has a great one ... any park or garden near you ... that has its plants labeled ...

i am, as the name notes.. in Adrian .. the real SE MI ... lol ... i have a rhodie in near full sun with lots of water .. NEVER confuse shade tolerant with a plant that REQUIRES shade ... and there really aren't that many of them ..

IF IT WERE ME .... i would hit the road and really see what options i have.. IN PERSON ... before i rely on the web for all your info ...

why cant your landscaper get you an invite to other plantings he has done .. that are of similar circumstance.. he ought to be proud of his work ... and should have many many options available ...

good luck

ken

Ken, I have driven through lots of neighborhoods, old and new, and the landscaping has been on the edge of a woods, or with only one or two trees nearby for the most part. I don't recall seeing anyone planting trees under an existing oak canopy as I plan to do. I'm only foolishly spending my money on more trees and shrubs there because I want to screen 2 houses that stand out for 7 months of the year in an otherwise very beautiful setting. Since the landscaper is coming early next week, I'll just go with what I mentioned above and see what happens.

Thank you again for your help!

Anne