Cephalotaxus harringtonii ‘Korean Gold’

The mature needles are held upright, growing up to 7cm long and a luxuriant dark green, but it is the brilliant greeny-yellow new foliage that gives the plant its name. This colour is often maintained throughout the summer, with the leaves only turning dark green in the winter.  

An easy plant to grow, it is happy on pretty much any soil as long as it is moist-but-well-drained and protected from strong, cold winds. It will flourish in sun to light shade, but avoid deeply shaded spots where the bright colour may not develop. If exposed to the east, be ready with a fleece overcoat as the new growth can be caught by frosts in early spring. 

The 'plums' are little, 1-2cm in length, olive green fruits that are produced on the female tree and resemble tiny plums, hence the common name. It is part of the wider yew family, and in the same way as deer will avoid yew, so they are said to avoid this unless really hungry. It is both pollution and salt tolerant which together with its slow growing nature, narrow habit and tolerance of pruning, mean that it is a really useful evergreen conifer for accent or formal planting, for lining pathways, flanking doorways or steps, or in pots with good husbandry.