Know NOTHING, Want To Start A Yew Bonsai.

SoreThumb

Okay, over the past few months, I've done a bit of research into Bonsai trees and stuff, interested in getting one to accent my room and take care of while I was in college.

After that desire passed, I became interestd in the Yew tree. .. Apart from being scared of the fact that it's poisonous to humans. o_o

Regardless, I figured that it would be very unlikely to have a Yew tree branch treated to not have poisons, as my own, but I thought of Bonsai, and thought that growing a tree would be a great idea.


So far, I've learned that Bonsai is a difficult art-form to master, and very difficult to maintain and prune; especially a quick-growing tree like the Yew.



Of course, that won't stop me from getting one. :D



So, what I'm asking from everybody is this, basically.. ^^;;; :

Could I have some rules or general ideas to follow in taking care of this dangerous tree, so it will look nice, and appealing, but not professionally-done?

Does anybody know how I should take care of a Yew Bonsai so that it would not wilt?

How much would a professoinally-started Yew-bonsai tree cost? (Or at least, a tree just 'started'.. Like a Mahoneys, in the USA)

What accessories would I need to take care of this tree?

How should I take care of this tree, protection, destruction of pruned leaves, the smell, berries, the smell (if dangerous), etc, since I'm thinking to keep it in my college dorm?

What should I do in case something goes wrong, safety-wise, with this poisonous tree? (EG: If I, a 230 pound man, had my skin pricked by a spine of this tree, would I die? o_o What should I do?)




Thank you for any information that you can provide. :D!!

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FredL

This thing about Yew being poisonous; it seems to me I've heard something about this in the past, particularly in respect to injested berrries. I really don't think that as a practical matter, however, Yews are a dangerous group of trees to work with. I've seen a number of spectacular Yew Bonsai which it must be assumed were worked on in the conventional manner. It also flies in the face of their very widespread popularity as landscaping material. It just seems unlikely to me that a tree that was even as mildly toxic as, say, Poison Ivy, would be in such common use. I know that I've handled Yew and been exposed to its sap on many occasions without noticing any reaction myself.

I think that Yew is a very improbable species for indoor use. Most of its species and cultivars that I'm aware prefer cool, humid conditions quite unlike an indoor environment. Ficus is the tree most generally used in indoor situations and you might want to take a look at it.

Fred

LivingArt

you might want to try fukubonsai.com if you're interested in indoor bonsai. i don't know much about yew(no pun intended )but i do know that bonsai should be out doors and most die indoors accept for a few species like ficus etc.
Good growing
LA

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kvnharv29

I have six yew bushes out front of my house next to my japanese maple and I've be pruning and messing around with them alot and have never seen any reaction.
They are poisonous but only in the sense that you consume the needles, I believe.
So dont get hungry while working on it!

kvnharv29

Actually the bark, needles, and berries are all poisonous, but not hazardous by contact but consumption.
If you want a yew for poisonous you should use the Japanese Yew Taxus cuspidata, it has shorter needles than the other psecies

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kvnharv29

Check this link out sorethumb.
Tells you everything about the poison in yew

http://www.goatworld.com/health/plants/yew.shtml

SoreThumb

Thanks for the help, everyone. Especially about the poisonous-properties of Yew.

The best I can do with indoor bonsai is put it close to a window that might get sun, or it might not. ..
But I'm going to look at Fuku Bonsai and see what it says about indoor bonsai..

While I look, could anone answer my questions, above, in general?

Thanks. !

kvnharv29

Sounds like you have to grow your bonsai inside.
If this is your first bonsai then you should try a ficus tree.
The ficus is a very strong tree and will be easy to grow indoors
Another species you could try is a chinese elm, and many more.
Go to the library and you can find a book specifically for indoor bonsai.

Try this link for more tips on indoor bonsai:
http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/indoors.htm

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SoreThumb

Checked it. Apart from Chinese elm, what other plants are hardy for indoor-growing?

Lots of needed care for bonsai.. Checking for spider mites?! Fertilizer at full power, scheduled? Whoah, I'm going to need to really dedicate myself to this, eh? O_O.. Whew. o_o