

Yew Trees: A Field Guide. Yew is the tree of life, spanning millennia, with hard wood that lasts for hundreds of thousands of years.
Yew is the tree of life, spanning millennia, with hard wood that lasts for hundreds of thousands of years.
Taxus baccata also is the tree of death, every part of it toxic, except the red flesh that encases the poisonous seeds. The Latin name for yew is particularly descriptive, with Taxus descending from the same word that gives us “toxic” and baccata meaning “laden with berries.” For gardeners, yew is a magical tree, unbeatable for topiary, providing a garden with a sense of dignity and intrigue.