# Canada yew (*Taxus canadensis*) The Canada yew is a small, evergreen shrub with soft, dark green needles. It grows low to the ground and can live for many years, making it a special part of the forest. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Canada yew](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Taxus_canadensis_9_%285097490379%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Superior National Forest, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taxus_canadensis_9_%285097490379%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Canada yew is a low, spreading shrub with soft, flat, dark green needles arranged in two rows along its reddish-brown stems. It produces small, bright red, cup-shaped 'berries' (arils) that contrast beautifully with its evergreen foliage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Pinopsida - **Order:** Pinales - **Family:** Taxaceae - **Genus:** Taxus ## Interesting facts - Canada yew's bright red 'berries' are actually fleshy cones, with a single toxic seed inside! - Canada yews can live for a very long time, sometimes over 100 years! - Its tough, flexible wood was historically prized for making tools and hunting bows! - The needles of the yew are very soft and feel nice to touch. ## Special abilities - **Shade Dweller:** Canada yew can thrive in very dark forests, using its specialized needles to capture faint sunlight that other plants miss. - **Toxic Shield:** Canada yew has toxic compounds in its leaves and seeds that make it dangerous for most animals to eat, protecting it from predators. - **Resilient Rooter:** If its branches are damaged, Canada yew can sprout new shoots from its base or roots, helping it recover quickly. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-250 cm - **Spread:** 150-400 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Deadly - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — eats the non-toxic arils and disperses seeds - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — is a major browse for white-tailed deer - **Shelter:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — provides dense cover and shelter for small mammals ## Traits - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Coniferous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coniferous): Coniferous plants are typically evergreen, bearing needles or scales and reproductive cones. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Do not eat the berries or any part of the plant, as they can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Canada yew? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Canada yew? 100-250 cm ### How wide does Canada yew spread? 150-400 cm ### When does Canada yew bloom? Early spring ### Is Canada yew edible? No ### Is Canada yew toxic? Deadly ### What is Canada yew's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Canada yew pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Bixby State Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bixby-state-preserve) — Iowa, US · Nature Reserve - [Doane's Falls](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/doanes-falls) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Craig Lake State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/craig-lake-state-park) — Michigan, US · State Park [View all places to see Canada yew](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/canada-yew) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Canada yew: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/canada-yew)