Yew, Taxus baccata, English Yew, Common Yew, European Yew.
The name Yew comes from the Celtic name ‘iw’, but its ancient meaning is unknown. This also became ‘ew’ or ‘ewe’. Placenames derive from it, such as Iwade in Kent, Iwode, Ewhurst & Ewshott, Yewdale in Lancashire being recognisable with the modern English language.
Taxus has a few references. It is thought to come from the Greek word toxon, meaning ‘bow’ as yew is second to none in producing bows. It is also suggested that it could derive from the Greek word taxis, meaning arrangement, giving reference to the orderly linier placement of its needles, the third is toxicon, which is the poison they used to smear on the arrows and is where we get the word for when something is toxic. Baccata meaning berried, which refers to the ripe red arils of the tree.
Incidentally, the term Tax of which it is one of two certainties in life, is thought to derive from the generic Taxus, from the time when Parliament decreed in 1495 that every ship landing in an English harbour had to give at least 4 bows per tonne of goods they imported, like import tax.
It is one of three native conifers in the UK, others being common juniper (Juniperus communis) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). The definition of a conifer is a tree that holds cones, the yew falls into this category as the red berry ‘Aril’ held on the female trees is actually a very primitive form of cone.
Yew trees are dioecious, meaning there are both male and female trees. Males holding the pollen, which is dispersed by wind in spring, and the female trees producing the red arils, ripening in autumn. Some ancient yews have been known to change sex. In 2015 it was observed that one small branch in the outer part of the crown of the famous ancient Fortingall yew in Perthshire switched and now behaves as female. Other dioecious conifer species have been observed doing this, it is not fully understood why.
All parts of the tree are extremely toxic from the seeds (known as arils), needles, twigs, and bark, apart from the flesh which surrounds the aril to form the berry. Just a few berries or 50g of fresh needles ingested is enough to kill an adult in 2-6 hours. The toxin contains alkaloid taxine that cause heart failure in lethal doses (cardiotoxicity). The symptoms of poisoning from a lethal dose start from 30-60 minutes from ingestion, consist of vomiting, impaired colour vision, abdominal pain, or muscle spasms, drowsiness, dizziness, coma, respiratory and heat failure, resulting in death. Cases of death are rare, but there is no effective known antidote.
The berries are enjoyed by birds and aid the trees dispersal. They are labelled with such names as snot grots, snotterberries etc which gives you a sense of the texture experience that awaits anyone who wishes to try one, they are said to be sweet with laxative and diuretic effect. To give you an indication of how toxic the arils are a forager used to demonstrate removing the flesh from the aril and spitting it out, until on one occasion it is said that the aril grazed his inner lip as it was ejected from his mouth which made him severely ill. Others have passed them through unchewed with no ill effects. Another experienced forager has fallen foul to the toxicity of the yew, when identifying an edible mushroom on the ground, but incorrectly identified the piece of wood it was growing on, which was yew. The fungi had absorbed the toxin from the yew as it grew, making the forager seriously ill. Chicken of the woods grows on yew and there are accounts of people eating them with no ill effects, but why take the chance. In old text Beekeepers are advised not to site the hives near yew trees for this reason, (making the honey toxic) but I have not found anything to support this in today’s thinking. Even working with the wood is recommended that it only be done outside in fresh air and with the use of a face mask especially when sanding, ensuring pets are well away.