Shade or partial shade. Evergreen. An architectural shrub or small tree with flat, needle-like dark green leaves and a fairly conical shape. It takes well to hedging and branches low to the ground, making it useful for evergreen screens.In San Antonio it has proven useful in the semi-shade around established live oaks and this protected sitting, more than any particular drought tolerance, is probably why has become such a stalwart in local landscapes.Note that in its home range, Japanese yew prefers fertile, well-drained moist soil; in San Antonio plan on preparing the site accordingly and beware of exposure to scorching afternoon summer sun. Fruit appears in winter.