ENGLISH YEW

( (Taxus baccata), ) also called Common Yew, or European Yew (all three are lumber trade names), an ornamental evergreen tree of the yew family (Taxaceae), widely distributed throughout Europe and Asia as far east as the Himalayas. Some botanists consider the Himalayan form to be a separate species, called Himalayan yew. Rising to a height of from 10 to 30 m (about 35 to 100 feet), the tree has spreading branches and slightly drooping branchlets. The bark is reddish brown and flaky, sometimes deeply fissured in very old trees. All parts of an English yew contain a substance poisonous to humans and animals. Many horticultural varieties have been developed, some of which are small shrubs. One of the most popular is the Irish yew. It has a compact, columnar form and is used in formal plantings. Several hybrids have been obtained by crossing the English yew with the Japanese yew (q.v.); the most common, Taxus media, has several varieties.