Species guide
European yew
DeadlyTaxus baccata
What does European yew look like?
An evergreen conifer with flat, dark-green needles in two rows, reddish flaky bark, and soft red berry-like cups (arils), each holding a single hard seed.
Is European yew dangerous?
Among the most poisonous plants — needles, bark and seeds contain heart-stopping taxine alkaloids that can be rapidly fatal to people and especially horses and livestock. Only the red flesh of the aril is non-toxic, but the seed inside it is deadly.
What should I do about European yew?
Never eat any part, and keep children and animals away — the seed within the red berry is the dangerous part. Seek emergency care immediately if ingested.
Never decide what's safe to eat or touch from a photo or a web page. Identification here is for learning and curiosity only. For anything you might eat, handle or that could harm you or a pet, consult a qualified local expert — and seek medical or veterinary care if exposure has happened.
Recorded 311,974 times in the wild worldwide.
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