Herb. No. 077 · Taxaceae
Atlantic and Mediterranean Europe — churchyards and limestone woods.
Native · Europe
Native Also grown
OpenDeadlyplant
English yew
Taxus baccata
The churchyard evergreen — a beautiful hedge whose seeds and foliage stop a heart.
Handle as a poison-garden specimen. See Safety before any use.
Almost every part of yew is cardiotoxic. The red aril around the seed is the one 'edible' tissue, and even that is a terrible idea because the seed inside is deadly. Livestock die from trimmings. Paclitaxel is a hospital drug from yew chemistry, not a reason to chew a hedge.
Flavor
Do not taste.
Parts used
None for self-care. Pharmaceutical taxanes only.
In favor
- Teaches that chemotherapy plants are not teas
Against
- Fatal arrhythmia
- Clippings poison livestock
- Seed in the pretty red cup