Overview

Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Gimborn's Pillow' is a plant with a bushy habit in the genus Cephalotaxus, part of the Taxaceae family, with evergreen foliage. Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Gimborn's Pillow' grows best in full shade, partial shade and full sun, and tolerates most soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H5. Suggested uses include low maintenance and hedging and screens.

About

Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Gimborn's Pillow' is a well-branched evergreen conifer cultivar valued for dense, year-round screening. It tolerates anything from full shade to full sun and prefers moist but well-drained soils. Plant it in chalk, clay, loam or sand on a sheltered aspect and it will withstand typical UK winters as a hardy (H5) shrub. Its form and foliage make it suitable where a low-maintenance hedge or screen is needed.

In the garden

Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Gimborn's Pillow' belongs to the Taxaceae family and is a cultivar of the genus Cephalotaxus selected for its compact, well-branched habit and evergreen foliage. It keeps a steady presence through winter, making it a reliable background plant where year-round cover is required. Position it in sites from full shade through to full sun; the cultivar is adaptable to east-, west-, south- or north-facing aspects provided it is sheltered from exposed, driving winds. It accepts a wide range of soils — chalk, clay, loam or sand — and tolerates acid to alkaline pH so long as the soil remains moist but well-drained. In UK terms its H5 rating indicates it is hardy in most areas. Use 'Gimborn's Pillow' for informal hedges, narrow screens or as dense specimen planting where little seasonal leaf drop is wanted. It needs only occasional shaping to maintain a neat outline and will respond to light trimming for a clipped screen. Allowing some lower branches to remain helps form an effective, evergreen barrier that delivers screening without heavy pruning.

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Cephalotaxus

Sunlight

Full shade, Partial shade, Full sun

Soil type

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Soil moisture

Moist but well-drained

Aspect

East-facing, North-facing, South-facing, West-facing

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness

H5

Plant details

Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Gimborn's Pillow' size, habit and characteristics

Habit

Bushy

Foliage

Evergreen

Suggested uses

Low Maintenance, Hedging and screens

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Gimborn's Pillow'

Propagation

Seed, softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings of terminal shoots

Pest resistance

Generally pest-free

Disease resistance

Generally disease-free

Frequently asked questions