# Pacific yew (*Taxus brevifolia*) The Pacific yew is a beautiful tree that grows in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. It has dark green needles and produces small red berries that are loved by birds. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Pacific yew](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Taxus_brevifolia_Blue_Mts_WA.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jason Hollinger, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taxus_brevifolia_Blue_Mts_WA.jpg) ## Appearance The Pacific yew has dark green, flattened needles arranged in two rows, giving its branches a distinctive flat appearance. Its bark is thin, scaly, and reddish-brown, often peeling in strips. Instead of cones, it produces bright red, fleshy berry-like structures called arils. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Pinopsida - **Order:** Pinales - **Family:** Taxaceae - **Genus:** Taxus ## Interesting facts - Its super-strong wood was prized for making bows by Indigenous peoples! - Its unique red 'berries' are actually fleshy cups holding toxic seeds inside! - Many animals, especially deer, avoid eating its leaves because they are poisonous! - This tree can live to be over 500 years old, maybe even a thousand! ## Special abilities - **Anti-Cancer Power:** Pacific yew has special compounds in its bark that can be used to make powerful anti-cancer medicines. - **Rot-Resistant Wood:** Pacific yew has incredibly dense wood that resists rot, making it last for a very long time in damp forests. - **Understory Survivor:** Pacific yew can grow slowly in deep shade, a unique adaptation that helps it thrive beneath larger trees. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 500-1500 cm - **Spread:** 200-500 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — browses its foliage, especially in winter. - **Eats:** [Hermit Thrush](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hermit-thrush) (*Catharus guttatus*) — consumes the fleshy arils, dispersing seeds. - **Shelter:** [Northern Flying Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-flying-squirrel) (*Glaucomys sabrinus*) — often nests in its cavities and dense branches. ## 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. - [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. - [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. - [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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not eat the berries from the Pacific yew, as they can make you sick. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pacific 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 Pacific yew? 500-1500 cm ### How wide does Pacific yew spread? 200-500 cm ### When does Pacific yew bloom? Spring ### Is Pacific yew edible? No ### Is Pacific yew toxic? High ### What is Pacific yew's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Pacific yew pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Mehatl Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mehatl-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dunsmuir-botanical-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Porpoise Bay Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/porpoise-bay-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carmanah-walbran-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Arbutus Grove Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arbutus-grove-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Pacific yew](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pacific-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: [Pacific yew: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-yew)