What is a Yew Shrub?

Taxus is a genus of coniferous trees of the family Taxaceae which are slow-growing shrub reaching a height of around 2.5-20 meters.. They are relatively slow-growing and can be very long-lived, and reach heights of 2.5–20 m (8.2–65.6 ft), with trunk girth averaging 5 m (16 ft). native to most of Europe, from southern Scandinavia to northern Africa. It is easily distinguished from other conifers by having red berries instead of cones. The tree is slow-growing but extremely long-living, with some individuals living up to 5000 years ( see source).

As awesome as they look, this poisonous YEW shrub cannot be eaten as it can cause death. It contains a deadly alkaloid called taxine, so beware.

Uses

Although it is poisonous, still many find it a perfect yard ornament due to its evergreen needles and refreshing red berries ( I call them berries as they look like berries) with individual seeds inside. Also this shrub is not hard to maintain and can survive the harsh environment in Finland so if it does, it can also survive in other places, making it a good choice to beautify yards without too much effort growing or caring for it.