Taxus baccata, Common Yew

Common Yew is evergreen tree with  broadly conical conifer and densely foliage. It is widely used as ornamental tree that can be shaped and is often planted for hedges and walls. It can live very long, there are species in old churchyards which are over 1000 years old.

The tree though is very poisonous to human and livestock.

This Common Yew is growing in Oxford University Park in Oxford. It is not trimmed or shaped in anyway. Its position is partly shade and it grows among other trees like Common Ash Scots Pine. The soil is brown in colour and looks well-drained.

The bark has reddish in colour and when peeling it reveals reddish-brown patches underneath.

Common Yew can reach highs up to 20m and the the trunk up to 2m. 

The branches are level or ascending with irregular patterns of slightly pendulous twigs.

Male flowers are solitary growing in clusters with yellowish anthers that release fine dust of pollen.

Female flowers are greenish and from them grow hard fruits, surrounded by a bright red fleshy aril with depression at tip.