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Taxus baccata

Taxus baccata

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Plantae
Order
Cupressales
Family
Taxaceae- conifers
Genus
TAXUS
Species
baccata
Synonyms
common yew, European yew

Habitat / Home / Areal

It is naturally distributed in the lower part of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. It grows singly or in small groups in the areas of deciduous or evergreen forests of the hill and mountain belt up to 1700 m above sea level. Its habitats are clay soils, shady areas with high air humidity and mild winters.

Botanical description

Habitus: evergreen shrub or low tree of the yew family of the same name (Taxaceae). It grows up to 20 meters in height, forming a wide, rounded, bushy canopy. The root system is deep, highly branched, with a main vein. The trunk is irregular, wide, up to 1 m in diameter, the bark is thin, reddish brown, especially when young when it is smooth, while in old age it becomes more gray brown, cracked and peels off in thin sheets. The branches are greenish to greenish-brown, horizontal or slightly curved, the ground branches are usually directed upwards.   

Flower:  The plant is dioecious, male and female flowers grow on separate plants. The male flowers are single, spherical, located on short stalks in the axils of the leaves, they are densely packed on the underside of one-year branches already in the fall, they have 5-14 stamens that are expanded like a shield at the top, their pollen is light yellow and they pollinate in March and April. Female flowers grow individually, are green and small, have one seed embryo, are densely covered with scaly leaves of which the uppermost 3 pairs cover the flower and appear at the beginning of spring. 

Leaf: The needles are flat and soft, 2-3 cm long, about 2-3 mm wide, have a short petiole, are pointed at the top, are dark green and shiny on the upper side, the underside is paler, they have two pale green stripes. They are arranged like a comb in two parts, they are directed towards the top of the branch and they remain on the branches for 4-8 years.

Growth conditions / Cultivation / Care

Deep humus soil, moist and well-drained places; normal, slightly alkaline soil; moderate climate; sunny habitat

Gallery

Use / Function and landscape

The wood is elastic, hard and durable. It is not attacked by insects, it is resistant and has always been used for construction

Special use

It can be grown as a hedge, and pruned as needed. When the tree is cut it starts pushing new shoots out of the stump very quickly. All parts of the plant are poisonous, only the juicy red fruit membrane (without seeds!) is edible.

Reproduction

Original species are propagated by seeds that require stratification, cultivated species are propagated by grafting.

Varieties

T. baccata ‘Aurea’

T. baccata ‘Fastigiata’

T. baccata ‘Fastigiata Aurea’

T. baccata ‘Lutea’

T. baccata ‘Adpressa’