View crop

View crop Data sheet EcoPort

Taxus baccata

AuthorityL.
FamilyPinopsida:Taxaceae
Synonyms
Common namesEibe, Eibenbaum, taks, tasso, yew
Editor
Ecocrop code10299



Notes
DESCRIPTION: Medium sized evergreen tree with characteristic red fleshy berries (called arils). Single seed in each aril. Height Typically 15 - 28 m. USE: It is grown as an ornamental and is a useful tree for hedging. The timber is brown and very durable, used for furniture and for tool handles. Earlier it was used for bows. Good firewood. All parts of the tree except red aril are poisonous to man and animals although deer browse young seedlings. Birds eat the arils and spread the seed. GROWING PERIOD: Long-lived perennial. Some trees in England are said to be 1000-2000 years old. COMMON NAMES: English Yew, Yew. Irish Iur (England), Eibe (Germany), Idegran, barrlind, id, idgran, tax (Sweden), Barlind (Norway), Taks (Denmark), Marjakuusi (Finland). FURTHER INF: It native to most of Europe (including Scandinavia, Britain and Ireland), Asia Minor and North Africa. It is very shade tolerant and often occurs in the dense shade of Oak and even Beech woods.
Sources