Though not technically a yew, the Japanese Plum Yew may be a good option for gardeners with more shade than sun, yet crave a coniferous plant in their garden. Also known as an Upright Plum Yew, this evergreen has a narrow, columnar profile, with needles that grow in a spiral around erect branches. This is a slow grower and thus would work well in container planters, though it will eventually grow eight to ten feet in height and three to eight feet wide at maturity, if planted in the ground. Patient gardeners might consider using this specimen as a low-growing hedge or as an attractive way to hide unsightly utility boxes.