Taxus Baccata (Common Yew / English Yew) Taxus Baccata (Common Yew / English Yew) Taxus baccata is a medium sized, evergreen conifer, native to Britain, much of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. It is tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions including shade and chalk but not waterlogged or poor draining soil. It is widely used in landscaping as its relatively slow growth and tolerance of pruning make it an ideal plant for hedging and topiary. Bright red, berry like fruits ripen in the autumn and are attractive to birds during the winter. Most parts of the plant are toxic, particularly if foliage is eaten by animals. Fatal poisoning is uncommon in humans though unless excess volumes of foliage are consumed! Taxus baccata is the longest living plant in Europe with estimated ages between 2000 and 4000 years. However, no one can determine the exact ages as the trunk hollows with age, making a ring count impossible. This does not make the plant unstable though as once it reaches a certain size, new shoots appear at the base and grow, fusing into the main truck and acting like buttresses.

Common Name: Common, English or European Yew Family: Taxaceae Demands: Tolerant of most conditions and soil types as long as well drained Foliage: Needles are lanceolate, flat and dark green Bark: Reddish-brown, flaking in small pieces Fruit: Seeds are surrounded by a red, berry-like fruit. Taxus baccata info sheet FACT: Most commonly, people associate Yews with churchyards. Ancient Britons planted them near temples and when Christianity came to Britain, the tradition continued. Some churches were built by existing plants. Around 500 churchyards in England have a yew tree which is older than the church itself, they are meant to be a symbol of everlasting life and resurrection. Yew has a long history in England as the wood of choice for bow making. The heartwood is on the inside of the bow as it resists compression. The sapwood is on the outside as it resists stretching. Once all the British supplies had been exhausted, the wood was imported from Europe. Once the European supplies were exhausted, longbows were replace with firearms!

Taxus baccata clipped cones Taxus baccata (common yew) | Plants & Fungi At Kew Discover plants and fungi Taxus baccata (common yew) A densely branching evergreen that can live for centuries, the common yew is often found in British churchyards. Taxus baccata on a ruined wall at Waverley Abbey, Surrey. Species information Least Concern (LC) according to IUCN Red List criteria. Habitat: Oak and beech woodland, often on chalk or limestone substrates. Key Uses: Ornamental, timber, wood for bow-making, medicinal. Known hazards: The seeds, leaves and bark are highly poisonous and can cause fatal poisoning of humans and livestock. Taxonomy Genus: Taxus About this species Taxus baccata, although native to Britain and sometimes referred to as the English yew, is also found across much of Europe, western Asia and North Africa. The generic name Taxus is reflected in the name of the poisonous taxanes found in the tree. Some botanists did not consider yew to be a true conifer, since it does not bear its seeds in a cone.

However, proper consideration of its evolutionary relationships now places the yew family (Taxaceae) firmly within the conifers. Medicinal Uses Yew trees contain the highly poisonous taxane alkaloids that have been developed as anti-cancer drugs. Eating just a few leaves can make a small child severely ill and fatalities have occurred. All parts of the tree are poisonous, with the exception of the bright red arils. The arils are harmless, fleshy, cup-like structures, partially enveloping the seeds, which are eaten by birds (which disperse the seeds); however, the black seeds inside them should not be eaten as they contain poisonous alkaloids. Discover more Geography and distribution The common yew is found across much of Europe, western Asia and North Africa. It grows throughout the British Isles (although it is less abundant in Ireland, and absent from the far north of Scotland), especially on calcareous soils. Ancient yew woods, formed of almost pure stands of yew, are a typical feature of chalk soils in southern England (for example along the North Downs and in the Chiltern Hills). Taxus baccata ripe seeds enclosed by a bright red aril.

Description Taxus baccata is a densely branching, evergreen tree with a massive trunk, reaching up to 20 m tall. The leaves are dark green, linear and up to 3 cm long, with a pointed tip, and appear to spread in two rows on either side of the shoot. Unlike many other conifers, the common yew does not actually bear its seeds in a cone. Instead, each seed grows alone at the tip of a dwarf shoot, enclosed in a fleshy, usually red, aril which is open at the tip and up to 1 cm in length. How old is a yew tree? Taxus baccata in Kentchurch Court deer park, Herefordshire While it is generally agreed that the yew lives for a long time, the actual age of individual trees is often impossible to judge. The traditional method of counting the rings in the trunk of a tree is often not an option, because many older specimens develop hollow trunks. This is caused by a fungus that turns the inside of the tree into a pulpy, soil-like mass of rotten wood (which seems to have no ill-effect on the health of the tree as a whole).

However, as yew trunks have been known to reach huge girths of as much as 4 m (13 ft), even the most conservative estimates of around 2,000 years of age, place them as the longest-living trees in Europe. Taxus baccata foliage and pollen cones In 2000, Kew scientists in the Jodrell Laboratory at Kew used their skills in plant anatomy and chemistry to solve the death of two horses. Tim Lawrence was able to detect fragments of yew leaves in the stomach contents of the horses while Dr Geoffrey Kite developed a method to detect the toxic yew-derived taxane alkaloids in the stomach contents using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (an analytical chemistry technique using physical separation and mass analysis). Dr Kite has since used his liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method to investigate other horse deaths, suspected as being caused by yew. Millennium Seed Bank: Seed storage Kew's Millennium Seed Bank Partnership aims to save plant life world wide, focusing on plants under threat and those of most use in the future. Seeds are dried, packaged and stored at a sub-zero temperature in our seed bank vault.

Description of seeds: Average 1,000 seed weight = 60.3 g. Seeds are dispersed by birds. Number of seed collections stored in the Millennium Seed Bank: One. Seed storage behaviour: Orthodox (the seeds of this plant survive drying without significant reduction in their viability, and are therefore amenable to long-term frozen storage such as at the MSB) Germination testing: 84% germination achieved with pre-sowing treatments (imbibed on 1% agar for 20 weeks at 5°C, then imbibed on 1% agar for 20 weeks at 20°C, then 1% agar at 5°C for 21 weeks) and then on a germination medium of 1% agar, at a temperature of 20°C, on a cycle of 8 hours light/16 hours darkness. This species at Kew The parterre in front of Kew Palace is surrounded on all sides by a hedge of common yew. Yew trees can also be seen in the woodland of the Conservation Area close to Queen Charlotte’s Cottage. There are some spectacular examples of yew trees growing with their roots climbing down over sandstone rocks at Wakehurst.

Kew at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2011 In 2011, Kew partnered with The Times to produce a show garden to showcase the significance of plants to science and society. The garden, designed by Chelsea gold medallist Marcus Barnett, featured species chosen to demonstrate both beauty and utility, including medicinal, commercial, and industrial uses to underline the fact that plants are invaluable to our everyday lives – without them, none of us could live on this planet; they produce our food, clothing and the air that we breathe. Taxus baccata was one of the species that featured in the garden, which was awarded a Silver Medal. References and credits Bevan-Jones, R. (2007). The ancient yew, a history of Taxus baccata. Windgather Press, Bollington, Cheshire. Conifer Specialist Group (1998). Taxus baccata. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. < . Downloaded on 02 November 2010. Cooper, M.R. & Johnson, A.W. (1998).

Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain: Animal and Human Poisoning. The Stationery Office, London. Farjon, A. (2010). A Handbook of the World’s Conifers. E.J. Brill, Leiden & Boston. Huxley, A., Griffiths, M. & Levy, M. (eds) (1992). The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. Vol. 4 (R to Z): 437-438. Macmillan Press, London. Kite G.C., Lawrence T.J. & Dauncey E.A. (2000) Detecting Taxus poisoning in horses using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Vet. Hum. Toxicol. 42(3):151-154. Preston, C.D., Pearman, D.A. & Dines, T.A. (eds) (2002). New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora: An atlas of the Vascular Plants of Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Wageneder, F. (2007).

Yew, a history. Sutton Publishing Ltd., Stroud. Kew Science Editor: Aljos Farjon Kew contributors: Sustainable Uses Group Copyediting: Emma Tredwell While every effort has been taken to ensure that the information contained in these pages is reliable and complete, the notes on hazards, edibility and suchlike included here are recorded information and do not constitute recommendations. No responsibility will be taken for readers’ own actions. Irish Yew - Taxus baccata âFastigiataâ - PNW Plants Fruit Description Most commonly used for hedging purposes, Irish Yew has a naturally upright form and takes shearing well. It's an option for gardeners looking for an alternative to more common Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis). Morphology: Taxus baccata âFastigiataâ will reach 7â â 8â high by 3â wide in ten years. Ultimately, it can reach up to 20 feet high if left un-pruned. It naturally makes a good shape without any clipping or trimming. It holds its branches in an upright rigid fashion. Needles are linear in shape with an acute tip.

This is a female cultivar that produces red berries in the fall. Children should be kept away from the berries as they find them attractive. Unfortunately they are poisonous. Adaptation: Taxus baccata âFastigiataâ prefers well-drained acidic soil and is drought tolerant once established. Plant it in full sun or shade. All parts of the yew plant (bark, and foliage included) can be toxic, so site plants with care. Pests: Yews (Taxus) trees and shrubs - types, planting and care Yews (Taxus) trees and shrubs types, planting and care Splendid Evergreens for Many Landscape Uses Taxus (Tax'us) are beautiful evergreen trees and shrubs that are natives of North America, Europe and Asia. They belong to the Yew family, Taxaceae. The name is an old Latin one for Taxus baccata, the European Yew. The leaves are small and, in most cases, are dark green on wild trees, but they are variable in color on cultivated forms. Male and female flowers are usually produced on different trees in early spring.

The male flowers are yellow and produced in small catkins; the female flowers are greenish, very small, and difficult to find. The fruit is a small, hard, dark green or brownish seed surrounded, except at the apex, by a fleshy envelope that is red and juicy when ripe. Shoots, leaves and seeds contain poisonous properties, and have proved fatal to both human beings and cattle. This is especially true of the English Yew. The flesh surrounding the seeds, however, is not toxic, and it is interesting to note that deer eat the foliage of Taxus cuspidata with relish and without apparent harm. It is generally understood that shoots and leaves are in their most dangerous state when partly withered. Valuable for Landscaping. Yews are among the finest evergreens for landscaping uses. In addition to the wild kinds, there are numerous garden varieties and hybrids which show great variation in height, habit of growth and other important characteristics and this makes it possible for the planter to select from among them those that suit his purposes best.

Yews, allowed to grow without clipping or shearing, develop into magnificent specimen plants, but they stand pruning well and are among the finest of all evergreens for planting as formal hedges and for topiary work. (See Topiary Work.) The prostrate and spreading kinds are effective ground covers. Yews may be transplanted without undue difficulty even when quite large. Should they outgrow their allotted space, they may be pruned back severely and will "break" (put forth new shoots) even from thick old branches that have been cut back. In this respect they differ from many other evergreens. Yews Thrive in Most Soils. Very fine old trees are often found growing naturally on limestone soils, but they also grow on sandy loam, heavy loam and on peat. They do not succeed where the subsoil is waterlogged, and even old trees may be killed by the sudden raising of the natural water level, as is brought about by flooding or by the silting up of ditches or open drains, obstructions in drainpipes or by grading operations. Mulching the soil surface with old, rotted manure, rich compost, leaf mold or other suitable organic material is of great benefit.

An application of a complete fertilizer each spring is beneficial. When to Plant Yew Trees. When the trees are moved with a mass of soil attached to the roots, transplanting may be carried out in early autumn or early spring or, in mild climates, in winter; however, when there is considerable root disturbance, September and April are the best months for the work. Whether specimen or hedge plants are planted, the ground should be prepared beforehand and, if there is any danger of waterlogging, arrangements must be made for draining the ground. If, when the trees are received, the roots appear to be dry, soak them with water before planting, and give them a good watering as soon as the work is completed. If the weather is hot and dry the trees should be shaded from hot sun for a week or two, and sprayed twice a day with water. The removal of the ends of some of the branches will assist in re-establishing the trees by lessening the strain on the roots. Should the leaves fall, there need be no cause for alarm; it is one of Nature's means of assisting recovery. If, however, the leaves shrivel or turn brown and remain on the branches, root action is not proceeding in a satisfactory way.

In such a case, cut the branches back, spray the trees several times a day, and shade from sun until new shoots appear. Severe pruning, when required by old trees, should be done in March or April. Pruning. Yews required for trees must be carefully pruned from early life; it is important that the growth of the lower branches should not interfere with the leading shoots. Those Yews which have a tendency to produce several shoots from the base are the best to select for hedges or for topiary work. Pruning may be done at any time from spring to fall. Hedges and clipped specimens should be sheared in spring, just before new growth begins, and again about midsummer if necessary. Raising Yew Trees from Seeds. Yew trees can be raised by sowing seeds as soon as ripe in a frame, or out of doors in spring. Seeds to be sown out of doors may be kept in sand from the time of collection to sowing. When quantities of Yew seeds are required, they should be collected as soon as the flesh of the fruit begins to turn red, for the ripe fruits are eagerly eaten by birds. The seeds can be freed from the flesh by washing. Taking Cuttings.

Cuttings of all kinds of Yew can also be rooted by placing them in a bed of sand, or sand and peat moss, in a cold frame in July or August and leaving them there all winter, or by inserting them in a greenhouse propagating bench in October or November. This is one of the methods adopted for increasing varieties which cannot be reared true from seed. Grafting is also practiced on stocks of common types previously established in pots. This work must be carried out in a warm greenhouse in spring. Yew can also be increased by layering and air layering. The Japanese Yew. In most parts of North America the Japanese Yew, Taxus cuspidata, and its varieties and hybrids are the most valuable kinds. When Taxus cuspidata is raised from seeds it develops into symmetrical, broad-conical, upright-growing specimens, each with a well-defined central trunk or leader. Such plants are generally offered for sale by nurseries under the name T. cuspidata capitata.

If plants are propagated by means of cuttings taken from side branches of these capitate specimens, they do not develop into tall, conical plants with well-defined central leaders, but, instead, form broad-spreading specimens without any definite central trunk or leader. Such plants are sold by nurseries as Taxus cuspidata. Botanically, both types are Taxus cuspidata; they are precisely the same species; the difference in appearance is due only to the method of propagation employed. The Japanese Yew is hardier than the English Yew and grows more quickly. It withstands the winters of New England and under the most favorable conditions will develop into a tree 50 ft. tall but in cultivation is usually considerably smaller than this. It is a native of Japan, Korea and Manchuria. Among the best-defined varieties of the Japanese Yew are T. cuspidata aurea, with leaves slightly variegated with yellow (this variety is likely to appear brownish and unattractive in winter); T. cuspidata aurescens, a low-growing variety in which the young leaves are bright yellow (this variety is more tender than most; it requires a sheltered location); T.

cuspidata densa, a very compact, slow-growing variety with deep green foliage; and T. cuspidata fastigiata, a dwarf, erect columnar kind. T. cuspidata nana, a dark green, dense, bushy form of moderately fast growth, is one of the best evergreens for low hedges, foundation plantings and similar uses. This is the plant frequently offered in nurseries as T. cuspidata brevifolia and T. brevifolia; it should not be confused with the T. brevifolia of botanists, which is a native of the Pacific Northwest and is much more tender. Other well-defined varieties include T. cuspidata nigra, with very dark green foliage; T. cuspidata ovata, a kind with leaves that are broader than normal; T. cuspidata pyramidalis, a variety of distinct pyramidal growth habit; T. cuspidata Thayerae, a wide-spreading variety with more or less horizontal branches with foliage of a type that gives them a somewhat feathery appearance. The Media Hybrids. Between the Japanese Yew, T. cuspidata, and the English Yew, T.

baccata, a series of very valuable hybrids have been raised. These are classed together under the group name of Taxus media. They are somewhat less hardy than the Japanese Yew but they may be depended upon as far north as Massachusetts and perhaps further north. They include a most interesting selection of plant forms and habits. Among the best of these hybrids are T. media Andersonii, an erect, freely branching variety; T. media Brownii, erect and conical and growing to an ultimate height of about 8 ft.; T. media Hatfieldii, a shrubby, conical variety with spreading branches; T. media Hicksii, a dark green, bushy kind with many very erect branches; T. media Kelseyi, a dense, upright plant that is said to fruit heavily; T. media pyramidalis, erect and of loose-branching habit; T. media Wardii, an erect, compact variety; T. media Wellesleyi, a broad, erect-growing variety. The English Yew. This magnificent evergreen, Taxus baccata, is generally less reliable and less useful in most parts of the United States than it is in Europe. It is well adapted for growing in the Pacific Northwest.

In the East it is hardy as far north as southern New York and parts of New England, but it is generally not so satisfactory for those areas as the Japanese Yew and the media hybrids between the Japanese Yew and the English Yew. Some varieties of the English Yew, notably the low T. baccata repandens, are much hardier than the typical form of T. baccata. The English Yew grows more slowly than the Japanese Yew and the hybrid kinds. Taxus baccata is a densely branched tree when growing in the open; when growing closely together, the trees may become branchless for a considerable height, and then have a head of moderate size. Under favorable conditions the English Yew grows 30-60 feet high with a trunk 9-20 ft. in girth. Very large and old trees are often found in churchyards in Great Britain; the Yew has been associated with churches and churchyards for hundreds of years. The spirally arranged, narrow leaves are dark green, 1/2-1 1/4 in. long, and each of the solitary hard seeds is enclosed in a red fleshy aril or cup.

There are many well-marked varieties which differ from the type in habit, size and color of leaves, and in one instance in the color of the aril of the fruit. Trees 1,000 Years Old. It is suggested that some of the oldest trees of Taxus baccata in the British Isles exceed the age of 1,000 years, and this may well be correct. Some of these trees are mere shells bearing living branches, and have probably remained in much the same state for many generations. The English Yew has the peculiarity of producing young erect stems from near its base; growing close to the trunk, they sometimes become enclosed by wood of the old tree. In these cases a transverse section cut from a trunk may show several enclosed stems. It is possible that some old trees may even have been rejuvenated by one of these secondary stems, and that the original trunk has disappeared. Varieties of English Yew. There are numerous varieties of the English Yew. One of the most useful and hardiest is T. baccata repandens, which is of neatly prostrate habit with arching, lax branches and bluish-green leaves. T.

baccata Dovastonii is a very distinct and handsome variety with horizontal branches and pendent branchlets; the leaves are dark green and larger than those of the type. It is sometimes called the Westfelton Yew. T. baccata lutea (fructu-luteo) is exactly like the common English Yew and grows as large, but the fleshy covering of the seed is golden instead of the familiar red. T. baccata gracilis pendula is a very graceful Yew with weeping side branchlets. The varieties epacrioides and ericoides are of low, compact habit, with small leaves, and are suitable for planting in the rock garden. T. baccata expansa is a wide-spreading kind of low stature suitable for covering banks. T. baccata Foxii is another dwarf variety suitable for the rock garden. Golden-leaved Yews. A very attractive variety of T. baccata is named adpressa. It is of compact, bushy habit, growing 10-12 ft. high, with short, dark green leaves, 1/4-1/2 in. long.

There are several subvarieties of it, including adpressa aurea, a very handsome shrub with golden leaves; and argentea, with white and green leaves, a less attractive shrub than aurea. Other varieties of the English Yew with golden leaves are T. baccata aurea, Barronii, Dovastonii aureo-variegata, elegantissima and semperaurea. T. baccata Barronii is of specially good color, and Dovastonii aureo-variegata and elegantissima quickly grow into large bushes. The Irish Yew. T. baccata stricta (fastigiata), is well known by reason of its stiff and erect habit. It is useful for planting as formal avenues and is much used in churchyards in Great Britain. There are several varieties with colored leaves—for example, fastigiata aurea, the Golden Irish Yew; fastigiata grandis and Standishii, also with golden leaves, and argentea, a less useful form with silver-variegated leaves. The Irish Yew is sometimes called the Florence Court Yew, because the two original specimens were found near Florence Court in Ireland.

The Ground Hemlock or Canadian Yew. T. canadensis, is a native of eastern North America as far north as Newfoundland. It attains a maximum height of about 6 ft. but is usually lower and forms a more or less straggling or nearly prostrate shrub. Its foliage does not possess the rich, dark green coloring of other Yews but tends to be yellowish; for these reasons it is less useful as a garden plant. Nevertheless the Ground Hemlock can be used to good effect as a ground covering under trees and in woodlands where sheltered conditions can be provided. It is not suitable for planting in exposed wind-swept locations. It is an especially good plant for setting beneath evergreens. Other Yews. The Western Yew is native from Montana to California and British Columbia. This is the true Taxus brevifolia and must be clearly distinguished from the plant commonly sold in nurseries as T. brevifolia, which is really T. cuspidata nana. In its native home the Western Yew makes a tree 45 ft. or more tall but it is not a common plant in cultivation.

The Chinese Yew is Taxus chinensis, a kind which, as its name suggests, is a native of China. It is hardy in the North but is not common. In its native home it forms a tree about 50 ft. tall. Yew (Taxus baccata) - Woodland Trust Woodland Trust Search the Woodland Trust website Search The bark of the yew is reddish-brown with purple tones, and peels (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) Each seed is enclosed in a red, fleshy, berry-like structure known as an aril (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) Flowers are visible and in March and April (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) Needles are straight and small with a pointed tip, dark green above and green-grey below (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) Yew is an evergreen conifer native to the UK, Europe and North Africa. Common name: yew Family: Taxaceae UK provenance: native Interesting fact: Taxus baccata can reach 400 to 600 years of age. Ten yew trees in Britain are believed to predate the 10th century.

What does yew look like? Overview: mature trees can grow to 20m. The bark is reddish-brown with purple tones, and peeling. The yew is probably the most long-lived tree in northern Europe. Leaves: straight, small needles with a pointed tip, and coloured dark green above and green-grey below. They grow in two rows on either side of each twig. Flowers: yew is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers grow on separate trees. These are visible in March and April. Male flowers are insignificant white-yellow globe-like structures. Female flowers are bud-like and scaly, and green when young but becoming brown and acorn-like with age. Fruits: unlike many other conifers, the common yew does not actually bear its seeds in a cone. Instead, each seed is enclosed in a red, fleshy, berry-like structure known as an aril which is open at the tip. The foliage and seed coat of yew contains a cocktail of highly toxic alkaloids. The aril (fleshy red part) is not toxic and is a special favourite of blackbirds which act as efficient seed dispersers.

Some birds, such as greenfinches, even manage to remove the toxic seed coat to get at the nutritious embryo. Look out for: the needle-like leaves grow in two rows along a twig. Underneath, the needles each have a raised central vein. Could be confused with: Irish yew (Taxus baccata 'fastigiata') or other planted yew species. Identified in winter by: it is an evergreen so its features are present year round. Where to find yew It is commonly found growing in southern England and often forms the understory in beech woodland. It is often used as a hedging plant and has long been planted in churchyards. Value to wildlife Yew hedges in particular are incredibly dense, offering protection and nesting opportunities for many birds. The UK’s smallest birds - the goldcrest and firecrest - nest in broadleaf woodland with a yew understorey. The fruit is eaten by birds such as the blackbird, mistle thrush, song thrush and fieldfare, and small mammals such as squirrels and dormice. The leaves are eaten by caterpillars of the satin beauty moth.

Mythology and symbolism Yew trees have long been associated with churchyards and there are at least 500 churchyards in England which contain yew trees older than the building itself. It is not clear why, but it has been suggested that yew trees were planted on the graves of plague victims to protect and purify the dead, but also that graveyards were inaccessible to cows, which would die if they ate the leaves. Yew trees were used as symbols of immortality, but also seen as omens of doom. For many centuries it was the custom for yew branches to be carried on Palm Sunday and at funerals. In Ireland it was said that the yew was ‘the coffin of the vine’, as wine barrels were made of yew staves. How we use yew Yew timber is rich orange-brown in colour, closely grained and incredibly strong and durable (hence why old trees can remain standing with hollow trunks). Traditionally the wood was used in turnery and to make long bows and tool handles. One of the world's oldest surviving wooden artifacts is a yew spear head, found in 1911 at Clacton-on-sea, in Essex, UK.

It is estimated to be about 450,000 years old. Yew is a popular hedging and topiary plant. Anti-cancer compounds are harvested from the foliage of Taxus baccata and used in modern medicine. Medicinal uses and toxicity Yew trees contain the highly poisonous taxane alkaloids that have been developed as anti-cancer drugs. Eating just a few leaves can make a small child severely ill and fatalities have occurred. All parts of the tree are poisonous, with the exception of the bright red arils. The black seeds inside them should not be eaten as they contain poisonous alkaloids. Threats Taxus baccata (Common Yew, European Yew) Home » Taxus baccata (Common Yew, European Yew) Taxus baccata Thomas, P. Justification: The Common Yew (Taxus baccata) has a very extensive range throughout Europe and beyond. Exploitation and attempts at eradication are no longer current. Cultivated rather than wild populations are exploited for chemical compounds to produce Taxol® unlike the situation with other yew species. Expansion is observed in many woodlands in recent decades.

Previously published Red List assessments: 1998 – Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc) Geographic Range [top] Range Description: Taxus baccata occurs in all European countries as well as those in the Caucasus, and from Turkey eastwards to northern Iran. In North Africa it occurs in Morocco and Algeria. Consequently its extent of occurrence is well in excess of the Red List thresholds for any threatened category.

Countries occurrence: Native: Albania; Algeria; Andorra; Armenia (Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh); Austria; Azerbaijan (Nakhichevan); Belgium; Bulgaria; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France (Corsica); Georgia (Abkhaziya, Adzhariya); Germany; Gibraltar; Greece (Kriti); Guernsey; Hungary; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Ireland; Isle of Man; Italy (Sardegna, Sicilia); Jersey; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Luxembourg; Malta; Moldova; Monaco; Montenegro; Morocco; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal (Azores); Romania; Russian Federation (Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetiya, Kabardino-Balkariya, Kaliningrad, Karachaevo-Cherkessiya, Krasnodar, Severo-Osetiya, Stavropol); Serbia (Serbia); Spain (Baleares); Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey (Turkey-in-Europe); Ukraine (Krym); United Kingdom Additional data: Population [top] Population: The global population is increasing due to changed woodland management, which has become less intensified in many parts of Europe.

In Scandinavia, it may be expected to expand inland from coastal areas if the warming climate trend continues. Current Population Trend: Habitat and Ecology [top] Habitat and Ecology: Taxus baccata is capable of growing under (not entirely closed) canopy of beech (Fagus spp.) as well as other deciduous broad-leaved trees, but it will only develop to large trees in more open situations. In Switzerland, the richest area of Central Europe for yew, it forms a yew-beech wood on cool, steep marl slopes in the Jura and the foothills of the Alps up to 1,400 m a.s.l. (Ellenberg 1988). Under the evergreen Common Yew, nothing else will grow. In England, T. baccata is best developed on chalk downs - again on steep slopes - and can form extensive stands outside the beech woods invading down grassland. In much of Europe where the climate is less oceanic it survives better in mixed forests, coniferous as well as mixed broad-leaved-conifer forests, again mostly on limestone substrates, and often occupying rocky cliffs and slopes.

On acid soils yews perform less well under canopy and usually do not develop beyond a sapling stage in woods. Its northern limits in Scandinavia are determined by its sensitivity to severe frost. Its toxicity (all parts except the red arils around the seeds) prevent browsing by cattle and sheep, but not by rabbits and deer, as these animals have developed a level of immunity to the dangerous alkaloids. Apart from seed germination (dispersed by birds), T. baccata readily regenerates from stumps and roots (suckers); ancient hollow trees may rejuvenate constantly in this way. When planted, e.g. in church yards and cemeteries, soil pH seems unimportant; some of the largest and presumably oldest specimen trees in NW Europe, in particular Brittany (France) and the British Isles, are known from such locations and were planted probably since Celtic times Systems: Use and Trade [top] Use and Trade: In the Middle Ages the wood of Common Yew was very much in demand for long-bows and cross-bows and was exported from Switzerland to England.

Yews were also planted near sacred wells, early Christian churches, monasteries, and castles for symbolic/religious reasons as well as practical (military) ones. It still is one of the obligatory cemetery trees in NW and Central Europe. The hard, slow growing wood is used for gates, furniture, parquet floors, panelling, and is excellent for carving and wood turning as its contorted growth and 'burls' form intricate, vari-coloured patterns. For the same reasons yew does not provide timber suitable for construction. The toxicity to cattle and horses has led to extermination of Taxus baccata from many woodlands in past centuries, when almost all woodland served for grazing animals. Although of lower concentration than in some other species, its alkaloid taxanes, contained mostly in the leaves, yield a semi-synthesized anti-cancer drug similar to Taxol® and yew hedge clippings can still be sold to pharmaceutical companies. As an ornamental shrub or tree it reappeared in the formal gardens of the Baroque period, as it lends itself to clipped hedges and topiary of all shapes.

This horticultural interest has in turn led to the development of numerous cultivars, some of which have bright yellow arils around the seeds. Threats [top] Major Threat(s): Although in past centuries Yew has been 'persecuted' in much of Europe and it had become rare in many areas, with the changes in woodland management and use since the nineteenth century the species has made a remarkable come-back and is not in danger of extinction in the wild. Conservation Actions [top] Conservation Actions: Common Yew is present in numerous protected areas throughout its range. In Europe, several yew dominated communities are covered under the EU Habitats Directive. Additionally there are many societies in various countries devoted to yew conservation, especially older trees. Citation: Farjon, A. 2013. Taxus baccata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T42546A2986660. . Downloaded on 13 January 2017.

Disclaimer: Irish yew (Taxus baccata fastigiata) - Woodland Trust Woodland Trust Search the Woodland Trust website Search Irish yew has an upright growth and is used for ornamental purposes (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) The needles are small and curved with pointed tips (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) Unlike common yew, the needles grow all around the twig, rather than in rows (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) After pollination succulent red fruits develop which ripen in autumn (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) The peeling bark is grey-brown with purple tones (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) Irish yew is an evergreen conifer grown for ornamental purposes throughout the UK. Common name: Irish yew Scientific name: Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata' Family: Taxaceae Interesting fact: yew is a primitive form of conifer, bearing fleshy fruits rather than cones. What does Irish yew look like? Overview: can grow to 7m. The bark is grey-brown with purple tones, and it peels.

It was originally discovered in County Fermanagh in 1780, and it is thought to be a mutant form of the common yew , (Taxus baccata). Irish yew was subsequently cultivated for its different foliage and more upright growth. Leaves: straight, small, curved needles with a pointed tip, and coloured black-green (darker than common yew). Unlike common yew, the needles grow all around the twig, rather than in rows. Flowers: male flowers are globular white-yellow anthers, while female flowers are bud-like and scaly, and green when young but becoming brown and acorn-like with age. Fruits: pollinated by wind, these develop into succulent red fruits, which ripen in autumn. Look out for: the needle-like leaves grow all around the main stem and not in rows. Each needle has a raised central vein underneath. Could be confused with: yew (Taxus baccata) or any of the other 200 or more cultivars. Identified in winter by: it is an evergreen so its features are present year round.

Where to find Irish yew Irish yew prefers to grow in well-drained soil and can be often found in church yards due to its tolerance of exposure and urban pollution. Irish yew also works well as evergreen hedging. Value to wildlife Yew hedges in particular are incredibly dense, offering protection and nesting opportunities for many birds. The red fruits are eaten by birds such as the blackbird, mistle thrush, song thrush and fieldfare, and small mammals such as squirrels and dormice. The leaves are eaten by caterpillars of the satin beauty moth. Mythology and symbolism Yew trees have long been associated with churchyards and there are at least 500 churchyards in England which contain yew trees older than the building itself. It is not clear why, but it has been suggested that yew trees were planted on the graves of plague victims to protect and purify the dead, but also that graveyards were inaccessible to cows, which would die if they ate the leaves. Yew trees were used as symbols of immortality, but also seen as omens of doom. For many centuries it was the custom for yew branches to be carried on Palm Sunday and at funerals.

In Ireland it was said that the yew was ‘the coffin of the vine’, as wine barrels were made of yew staves. How we use yew Irish yew is mostly used as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens, noted for its upright habit and darker foliage. Threats Yew Yew Latin Name: Taxus baccata Description: Yews are evergreen trees and shrubs which can grow to over 13m in height. They have flat needle-like leaves, about 25mm long which grow in pairs opposite each other along the branches. In the autumn the yew produces red fleshy berry that forms a protective coat around a black seed. All parts of the tree is poisonous except the red coating to the berries. Symptoms: Lack of co-ordination, coldness, rapid then weak pulse, excitability preceded by collapse. Sudden death can without any symptoms being shown. Horses are the most susceptible of all animals and may die within several minutes of feeding on the young shoots. Notes: Yew is one of the very few poisonous plants that animals will eat voluntarily at all times of the year.

The literature states that 100 - 200 gm of the needles is a fatal dose for a horse. Clippings and fallen leaves are just as toxic as the fresh plant.

Question: Which native British tree has the Latin name Taxus Baccata?
Answer: (Common) Yew