# common yew (*Taxus baccata*) The common yew is a beautiful evergreen tree with dark green needles. It can live for a very long time and is often found in parks and gardens, making it a lovely spot for shade and play. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Habitat:** Urban areas, forests ![common yew](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Taxus_baccata_tree.jpg&width=800) Photo: Sitomon, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taxus_baccata_tree.jpg) ## Appearance The common yew is an evergreen tree with dense, dark green, flattened needles that are soft to the touch. It produces bright red, cup-shaped 'berries' called arils, which strikingly contrast with its somber foliage. Its bark is reddish-brown and flaky. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Pinopsida - **Order:** Pinales - **Family:** Taxaceae - **Genus:** Taxus ## Interesting facts - Its incredibly tough wood was famously used to make ancient longbows! - Many yews grow in old churchyards because they are symbols of immortality. - The bright red 'berry' is actually a fleshy cup; only its pulp is not poisonous! - Yew trees can grow new trunks from their own decaying heartwood! ## Special abilities - **Toxin Shield:** Common yew has powerful toxins in its needles, bark, and seeds that help it defend against most animals trying to eat it. - **Ancient Survivor:** The common yew can live for thousands of years, regenerating its trunk to become one of Europe's oldest trees. - **Regrowth Power:** Common yew can sprout new branches even from very old wood or when cut back, helping it recover from damage. - **Seed Dispersal Bait:** Common yew produces sweet, red arils that attract birds to eat them and spread its seeds far away. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1000-1500 cm - **Spread:** 400-800 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late winter to early spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Deadly - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Traits - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [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. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [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. - [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. - [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. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Do not eat any part of the yew tree, as it can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify common 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 common yew? 1000-1500 cm ### How wide does common yew spread? 400-800 cm ### How big are the flowers on common yew? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does common yew bloom? Late winter to early spring ### Is common yew edible? No ### Is common yew toxic? Deadly ### What is common yew's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [The Green](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-green) — Delaware, US · Park - [Yantacaw Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/yantacaw-park) — New Jersey, US · Park - [Alto Tajo Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alto-tajo-natural-park) — Castilla-La Mancha, ES · Park - [Palmengarten Frankfurt](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/palmengarten-frankfurt) — Hessen, DE · Park - [Arboretum Serach (Esslingen)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arboretum-serach-esslingen) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park - [Biosphärenreservat Rhön](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rhon-biosphere-reserve) — Bayern; Hessen; Thüringen, DE · Park [View all places to see common yew](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-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: [Common Yew: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-yew)