Plant Life: Yew

Yew is a type of evergreen tree belonging to the genus Taxus.  It is renowned for its longevity, appearance, the quality of wood, and toxicity. 

Longevity: It can live for hundreds of years.  Some churchyard yews in Britain are among the oldest living trees in Europe. 

Appearance: They have dark green needle-like leaves and produce bright red berries called arils. 

Wood: The wood is strong and flexible. In medieval England they were used for making long bows.

Toxicity: Its leaves, seeds, bark and wood are poisonous to humans and many animals.  The red fleshy aril surrounding the seed is the only the non-toxic part, but the seed itself is highly toxic.

Literary Symbolism:  Because of its great age and association with churchyards and cemeteries, the yew often symbolises death, immortality, mourning and endurance.

Habitat: Yews are native to much of the Europe, including Britain.

They are widely used in ornamental landscaping.

Yew grow also in parts of Indian subcontinent, though they are not common in tropical low lands.  They are called Himalayan yew, and the species is Taxus wallichiana. They are found in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Myanmar and Northwest China.

Some of the British botanists and horticulturists tried to grow European yew (Taxus Baccata ) in Indian subcontinent especially in botanical gardens and hill stations.  Because closely related species was already here they found it not practical.  So the English yew never did not follow the way of eucalyptus, tea, and cinchona.