Skip over navigation

NEN Gallery

NEN Gallery
Home / Nature - Plants / Identifying Trees / Yew / Common or English Yew (Taxus baccata L.)
Asset 1 of 1 Previous Asset [ 1 ] Next Asset   [Slideshow]

Common or English Yew (Taxus baccata L.)

Show/Hide_Details
Download:

640 x 443
1630 x 1130

Unique Id:

659753

This item is saved in one of your albums. Click to remove it.. My Albums

This slow growing conifer tree is now protected in many countries. It was extensively used in the past to make bows and arrows and expensive furniture. Its slow growth meant that it slowly disappeared from many areas. It can still be found in Southern England in woods and particularly in protected areas, such as church yards. It grows up to 20 metres and can live for up to 1000 years. It flowers in March and in Autumn produces poisonous bright red fruits on female trees, as the yew is a dioecious species (with separate male and female plants). Many churchyards have yew trees as they were thought to protect people from unquiet spirits and witches. Old houses often have either a yew tree or a holly bush growing next to the main entrance for protective purposes. Picture taken Elstow 8th September 2009.

Added:
8th Sep 2009 by Diane Earl

Subjects:
Biology, Science

Key Stages:
Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Key Stage 4+

Keywords:
plant tree ancient churchyard wild

Related Links:

EXIF data:

National Education Network
Developed by E2BN for the National Education Network
E2B® and E2BN® are registered trade marks and trading names of East of England Broadband Network (Company Registration No. 04649057)