Why are my taxus needles browning?
autumnglory
Posts: 255
I have two taxus conifers (one in a pot and one in the ground) and both seem to have some browning needles.
The one in the ground is browning from the tips of the needles. It doesn't look like the whole branches are damaged, but there are a lot of needles with some brown in them. It's only recently been planted, could it be transplant shock?
The one in the pot has less browning with only the odd brown branch tip, but because they're both browning I'm wondering if it's just common for them to have some browning of needles and they'll recover on their own.
I can't seem to find much information online so I'm wondering if you can help! 
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I wonder if the new growth got frosted. Late frosts are very damaging to new leaves
In the sticks near Peterborough
Could be, we did have an unexpected frost the other week. Looking at it there aren't as many brown needles on the side facing the fence that would have been more sheltered.
I've got the same with one of mine. I didn't think frost would affect them.
Yes does not like heavy clay soil as their roots prefer loose loam soil and one that drains well. My Taxus/Yew often goes brown/orange in winter and I need to really feed it to perk it up.
Thanks everyone, I did think it might be quite normal. I don't think it's lack of water because I did water it when it didn't rain for weeks. The soil where it's planted has good drainage, there's lots of grit in it. Don't think it'll need watering for a while after today's weather.
Do you need to cut the brown bits off or will they green up. Thanks.
I'm going to cut out the branches that are entirely brown because I don't think they'll recover. I don't think any brown bits will really but I'm going to leave the others because it'll be bald if I take off all of the browning needles!