To further complicate matters, the Pacific yew may be classified as T. braccata brevifolia, T. bourcieri, or T. lindleyana in older literature. The Pacific yew grows in moist soils in British Columbia, Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
Many populations are in potentially serious decline.
Like other members of Taxus , these yews produce red, berrylike fruits instead of cones and have flat, evergreen needles that grow all around the stem. Their wood is hard, durable and elastic. The bright red fruits of yews are called arils and each cups a single seed. The arils, which are moderately sweet, are the only parts of the plant that do not contain poisonous alkaloids called taxines. The seeds are deadly, so it is not recommended that people eat the arils.