yew: will it survive more pruning?

[DukeBane]

Hi there,


I have bought a yew (taxus baccata) tree in mid-July this year (2025). Since the seller wanted to keep the bucket I have slip potted it into same size container (the rootball kept stable during repot, with quite heavy soil, but not rootbound).
The tree was in good condition, having quite a lot of red fruits / seeds all over.

The tree as bought:

I have reduced it by approx. 1/3, this is the after picture (slip potted to new container of the same size):


As I have quite limited space on my balcony, my question is: is it OK to reduce it even more drastically? I would like to trim it to approx.. this size shape / size to promote backbudding and to open it for shaping / working the trunks:

I'm not aiming for big trunk - so the thickening of the trunk is not a primary objective. I know that yews backbud quite reliably, but I don't want to lose the tree being not patient enough.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

J.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

yews can take very hard cut backs but I would wait til next year after it reestablishes. Id consider lightly fertilizing at maybe 1/8th - 1/4th strength periodically to pump it up for good response next year.

Id do the hard cut back late winter/early spring. Where are you located?

 

[DukeBane]

Thanks for advice.
My location is in Central Europe - Bratislava, Slovakia. Should be a hardiness zone 7B according to Wikipedia.
We have relatively mild winters lately, with freezing occuring sporadically and not for prolonged periods. Even my really small yew in thin bonsai pot filled with acadama had no problem overwintering in good shape. My balcony is facin south-south-west, but have options to place the yew in partial shade (behind solid balcony rail).