Share

Native Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Search native plant database:
Name:    
Family:    

Taxus brevifolia Nutt.

Pacific yew, Western yew

Taxaceae (Yew Family)

USDA Symbol: TABR2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Pacific yew or western yew is a 15-50 ft., evergreen shrub or small tree with red-brown, scaly bark; horizontal, drooping branches and deep, yellow-green foliage in flat sprays. Poisonous, nonresinous, evergreen tree with angled trunk often twisted or irregular and with broad crown of slender, horizontal branches; sometimes shrubby.

The strong wood has been used for archery bows, poles, canoe paddles, and small cabinetwork; however, the limited supply and small dimensions restrict use. While most parts of yew plants, are deadly poisonous, the red, juicy cup around the seed is reported to be edible, provided the poisonous seed is not chewed or swallowed. Birds eat these cups and scatter the seeds.

 

From the Image Gallery

No images of this plant

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf: Gray-Green
Fruit: Brown
Size Class: 36-72 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Time: Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AK , CA , ID , MT , NV , OR , WA
Canada: AB , BC
Native Distribution: Extreme s.e. AK to c. CA & n.w. MT; historically in NV
Native Habitat: Damp, partly shady, mt. ravines below 7000 ft.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), AK(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Moist soils.
Conditions Comments: Not Available

Benefit

Use Food: EDIBLE PARTS: The red arils, in small amounts, are edible. The green seed is toxic. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)
Use Medicinal: Taxol (terpenoid) comes from the bark and is used to treat breast and ovarian cancer. Inhibits mitosis.
Warning: Bark, leaves, seed pit (red, fleshy surrounding part, called the aril, is OK to eat). Highly Toxic! May be Fatal if Eaten! Symptoms include nervousness, trembling, slow pulse, pupil dilation, difficult breathing, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, convulsions; may be fatal. Toxic Principle: Alkaloid taxine. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)
Attracts: Birds

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA

Bibliography

Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Bibref 663 - Poisonous Plants of North Carolina (1994) Vondracek, W. ; L. Van Asch

Search More Titles in Bibliography

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1991 VOL. 8, NO.4 - A National Environmental Research Plan, Director's Report, Discover the Secrets ...

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Taxus brevifolia in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Taxus brevifolia in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Taxus brevifolia

Metadata

Record Modified: 2008-02-19
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back