Taxus x media

Rehder

Anglojap yew

Taxaceae Edible: Fruit Potential hazards — see below 428 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

A slow-growing evergreen hybrid shrub reaching 6m tall and wide, hardy to UK zone 5. Seeds ripen September to November. The species is dioecious and wind-pollinated, requiring both male and female plants for seed. It adapts to light, medium, or heavy well-drained soils across mildly acid to very alkaline pH. Grows in full shade to open sun, prefers dry or moist soil, tolerates strong winds and atmospheric pollution but not maritime exposure.

Description

A hybrid. It is a shrub 2 m tall and 3 m wide. The needles are 2.5 cm long. They are arranged in paired rows. The fruit are red.

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Edible Uses

The fleshy fruit can be eaten raw. It is very sweet and gelatinous — most people find it delicious, though some find it sickly. Each berry is about 10mm in diameter and contains a single seed. All other parts of this plant, including the seed, are highly poisonous. When eating the fruit, the seed should be spat out. Swallowing the seed whole may allow it to pass through without harm, but if it has been bitten into, it could cause problems.

Traditional Uses

CAUTION: The seeds are poisonous and tea from the leaves is poisonous.

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Medicinal Uses

Modern research has shown that yew trees contain the compound taxol in their shoots and bark. Taxol has shown exciting potential as an anti-cancer drug, particularly for ovarian cancers. This remedy is very toxic and should only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, even when applied externally.

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant except the fleshy fruit are highly poisonous.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

Australia,

Cultivation

Thrives in almost any soil, acid or alkaline, as long as it is well-drained. Succeeds in dry soils. Plants are very shade tolerant. Dormant plants are very cold-hardy in Britain, though the new growth in spring can be damaged by light frosts. Leaves have a reddish tinge when the plants are grown in a sunny position. Plants produce very little fibrous root and should be planted in their final positions when still small. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. The cultivar 'Sargentii' was 3 metres tall and 1 metre wide at the Hillier Arboretum in September 1993. It was growing well and carrying a good crop of tasty fruit though the harvest time seemed to be somewhat later than that of T. baccata.

Propagation

Seed can be very slow to germinate, often taking 2 or more years. Sowing as soon as the seed is ripe in autumn gives the best chance of germination around 18 months later. Stored seed may take 2 or more years. Four months of warm stratification followed by 4 months of cold stratification may help shorten germination time. Harvesting seed green — fully developed but not yet dried on the plant — and sowing immediately has not been found to reduce germination time, as inhibiting factors develop too early. Prick seedlings into individual pots once large enough to handle, and grow on in a cold frame. Seedlings are very slow-growing and will likely need at least 2 years in pots before planting out, ideally in late spring or early summer after the last frosts. Note that this is a hybrid species and will not breed true from seed. Half-ripe terminal shoot cuttings, 5–8cm long, taken in July/August in a shaded frame should root by late September; leave in the frame over winter and plant out the following late spring — success rate is high. Ripe terminal shoot cuttings can also be taken in winter after a hard frost, in a shaded frame.

Other Uses

The wood is strong, hard, and heavy. It is used for paddles, fence posts, and similar articles.

Notes

There are about 6 Taxus species. The name is ambiguous.

Synonyms

Taxus baccata x Taxus cuspidata

References (3)

Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 297
J. Arnold Arbor. 4:107. 1923
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/