Plant
Common Yew
Taxus baccataAlso known as European Yew, English Yew
Common yew trees rank among Europe's oldest living organisms, with ancient specimens in churchyards often exceeding one thousand years of age. Dense, dark green foliage consists of flexible, flat needles that shield twisting trunks wrapped in peeling, reddish-brown bark. Brilliant red, cup-like arils envelop the seeds in autumn, providing critical seasonal food for thrushes and blackbirds that pass the seeds unharmed.
EvergreenToxicAncient Tree
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPhotosynthetic
Predators
- Deer
- Rabbits
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, overgrazing by deer
HabitatsTemperate woodlands, limestone cliffs, churchyards
Life span400–2,000+ years
Classification
- OrderPinales
- FamilyTaxaceae
- GenusTaxus
- SpeciesTaxus baccata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Contains lethal taxine alkaloids and wild berries have toxic look-alikes; never ingest any plant parts.
- Why it is dangerous
- Contains potent taxine alkaloids in needles, seeds, and bark that disrupt heart rhythm and trigger fatal cardiac arrest.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for flat, dark green needles with pale undersides and bright red, fleshy cup-shaped arils in autumn.
- What to do
- Keep pets and livestock away from branches, and never harvest wild foliage or arils for consumption.
Responsible observation
- Avoid ingestion: Never chew on needles, bark, or seeds, as taxine toxins act rapidly on cardiac tissue.
- Protect livestock: Ensure trimmings are disposed of securely, since dried needles remain lethal to horses and cattle.
- Observe ancient trees: Visit historical churchyards to view multi-century-old specimens with hollowed trunks.
Conifer Neighbor (c) Andrew Bazdyrev, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Andrew Bazdyrev · cc-by
Seed Disperser (c) Luiz Lapa, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Don Loarie · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Alpsdake, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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