PSC 2620: Woody Trees and ShrubCourse HomeWeek 12

Taxus baccata - English Yew

Plant Viewer
Image: Wikimedia.org
The needles are arranged in two ranks in the shade, radially in the sun, and are 1/2 - 1 1/4 inch long. Image: Luis Fernandez Garcia The seed is encased by a fleshy red covering.
Small male flowers appear in clusters. They are not ornamentally important. The bark is an attractive red-brown color. It exfoliates in plates and older trees have a fluted trunk. Image: Svein Harkestad

Plant Description

Taxus baccata, or English or Common Yew, is a large evergreen tree or shrub, that is borderline for Cache Valley, even when planted in a protected microclimate. It will survive in other areas of the Wasatch Front where temperatures do not drop below -10 degrees. They are slow growing and have a lifespan measured in thousands of years. Taxus baccata reaches 30-60 feet high and 20-25 feet wide. It has a dense branching habit, with many wide spreading branches. The form varies greatly, from a large bushy shrub to a rounded tree or even a pyramidally upright tree. It prefers moist, well-drained soil and performs well in sun or shade, but not where it will experience extreme heat or cold. It should also be kept out of winter winds, which will quickly dry out the needles.

The bark is a reddish-brown color and exfoliates in small plates. Mature trees develop a clearly fluted trunk. The foliage is composed of soft needles 1/2 - 1 1/4 inch long. The needles are a dark, rich glossy green color. The needles spiral around the stem when grown in the sun, but form in two-ranks when grown in the shade. The fruit is composed of a single olive colored seed surrounded on all sides, except the bottom, by a fleshy red berry-like covering.

Male and female flowers both occur on the tree. The male flowers occur in tiny clusters, while the female flowers form singly. Neither are ornamentally important.

Landscape Use

Taxus baccata is used extensively in Europe in formal hedges, topiaries and as a shade tree. In our climate, it performs best when planted in the shade, and can be a valuable selection as a shade-tolerant evergreen.

Points of Interest

All parts of English Yew is highly poisonous if ingested. In the British Isles a fine specimen can usually be found in historic churches or monasteries, where they were planted to prevent farmers from allowing their cattle to graze on church property due to the toxicity of the plant killing the animals.

Species of Taxus remain one of the leading causes of horse and cattle poisoning. Do not plant where it may be eaten by livestock!

Notable Cultivars

Repandens A dwarf cultivar with a low spreading form. It reaches 2-4 feet high and can spread up to 15 feet wide. The branches exhibit a slight weeping habit.