yew trees

Name

Taxus baccata is also known as 'the English Yew'.

Habitat

The Yew was at one time much more common and widespread in Europe and has been a dominant forest species in Europe in our distant past, but it is becoming rarer and is now protected in many countries.

In the United Kingdom the Yew was common on the chalk downs in Southern England and on limestone areas in the North. Although it grows particularly well on chalk, it can also be found in mixed woodland, shrub and open country site.

Appearance

Botanically the Yew family is seen as a distinct evolutionary branch of the Conifer family, which seems to have reached its peak in the Tertiary and is today represented by 6 species found across the Northern Hemisphere. The Yew Family is thought to have split off from other Coniferous tree groups 'early in evolution' and distinguishes itself from other Conifers by producing its fruit as a fleshy red aril, rather than a woody cone. The fact that the yew is able to produce itself vegetatively by layering is also highly unusual for a conifer. Furthermore, it is the only European conifer which is poisonous.

The English Yew is generally a round-headed tree if it has room to spread, whereas the Irish Yew has a much more upright conical habit. Multi-stemmed trees can spread in a rather wonderful wild irregular way. The branches are stout and sturdy and spread out wide to make a densely shaded bushy tree. The bark is smooth to the touch and light golden brown to reddish-brown, sometimes with a purplish tinge and flakes off revealing brighter orange-red patches below.

The Yew is not a tall tree and is never more than 25 meters high, often less. It can however grow to gain an enormous girth. The Yew has a curious tendency to divide into a cluster or 3, 4 or more trunks of equal thickness, which all rise from one root. Older trunks are often burred and can be covered in places with patches of small green twigs. With advancing age all Yews become hollow.

The needly leaves are attached to the wood in a spiral arrangement, which usually manage to look surprisingly like two neat rows of needles on either side of the twig. They end in a blunt point and are a very dark glossy green above and a much lighter matt green below. Irish yew is distinguishable from the English yew by its slightly more curved needles. The leaves remain on the tree for as long as 5 to 8 years. At the end of the spray you can often find a small cone, which looks like a small artichoke with green soft leaves.

The little solitary green female flowers are so small that they will hardly be noticed with the naked eye. The male flowers are a, slightly larger, pale yellow ball of stamens. They grow on the shoots, which were made the previous year, usually underneath. Each stamen has 6 little pollen-bags at the end, which, when ripe in February/March shed clouds of pollen, which is blown by the wind unto leaves and seeds.

Cultivation

Most Yews bear either male or female flowers, although very occasionally a tree can be found which have flowers of both sexes born on different branches. In nature the seeds lie on the ground for about 18 months in all weathers before they will germinate. If you want to grow Yews from seed, it is therefore best to imitate this lengthy process before planting them.
Yews are more often grown from cutting or by layering the branches. It is also possible to graft Yew. Yews thrive on chalk, but any soil which is not waterlogged will serve. Young trees are well able to cope with shade. They are not prone to any serious disease and resistant to pollution.