Western Yew
November 9, 2022
By Adam Huggins
Western Yew
Taxus brevifolia
- Description: Evergreen tree growing 2 – 15m tall. Bark is papery and reddish-brown with flat needles that are light green on top and striped underneath. ‘Fruit’ is a single seed encased by a red fleshy cup.
- Habitat: An understory species found in moist old-growth forests.
- Pair with: Douglas-fir, western redcedar, salal, evergreen huckleberry, sword fern, and false lily-of-the-valley.
- Fun Fact: The seeds are very poisionus to humans. The bark contains taxol, an important medicinal compound. The ‘fruit’ is actually a fleshy cone, known as an aril.