4 – Taxus baccata L.

Taxus baccata L.

Teix

Scientific name: Taxus baccata L.
Family: Taxaceae
Origin: Europe

Year planted: Early garden, before 1930

Flowering: March – April

Fruiting: Late summer

Description

Yew is a very leafy tree that can reach 12 meters in height. It has a reddish-brown scaly bark. It is a dioecious species: there are male and female specimens. The leaves are dark green, with tiny yellow flowers. The fruit is called Eril, and it looks like a berry, since it is fleshy and red in color.

Marimurtra’s specimen

The largest yew in the Marimurtra Botanical Garden is about 9 meters tall and belongs to the Fastigiata: its leaves are distributed along the entire stem and do not form a plane. It is not known what year it was planted, but based on its measurements it is estimated that it was when the garden was built.

Did you know…?

It is a very toxic tree for humans, except for the fruit. Jams are made from the meat extracted from the leaves. It contains different anticancer components used in medicine. The yew species for cultivation was first described in 1778. It came from the gardens of Florence Court, in Northern Ireland. That is why it is also called the Irish Yew. This original specimen is still alive and thence it has been distributed throughout the world.

Threat level (UICN)

Main uses

Raunkiaer Life Forms