Hicks Yew has dark green foliage which emerges light green in spring. The ferny leaves remain dark green throughout the winter.  The fruits are showy red drupes displayed from early to late fall. Hicks Yew is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage. This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime.

Hicks Yew will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more. This shrub performs well in both full sun and full shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water.