Hick’s Yew

Scientific Classification

Hicks Yew Pictures

Hicks Yew Pruning

Quick Information

Also known As	Anglojap
Tree Type	Evergreen
Identification	Size: 2-20ft in height Spread: 3-4 ft Bark: Brown with scales Needles: Green in color Cones: Berries instead of cones, red colored
Hardiness Zones	3-7
Growth Rate	Slow
Lifespan	At least 20 years
Growing Conditions	Sun: Partial shade to full sun Water: Weekly; more frequently if heat is extreme Soil: Moist, sandy, loamy soils with good drainage
Diseases & Pests	Vulnerable to winter-burn; twig blight, needle blight; root rot in water-logged soils; scales, weevils, and mealybugs
Reproductive System	Dioecious
Propagation	By seeds and semi-ripe cuttings
Seedling Development	Should be plated in spring or summer
Companion Plants	Lilac, Periwinkle, Potentilla
Wildlife Value	All parts of this plant are toxic to animals and humans
Uses	Ornamental; used as a hedge plant; also popular in bonsai

Pictures of Hicks Yew

Hicks Yew Bonsai

Interesting Fact

• In England, this plant is restricted to be planted around churches to ensure that animals don’t graze on it and die. Interestingly, deer may feed on parts of the plant and survive.

Hicks Yew Tree

Hicks Yew Plant

References:

1. https://www.weekand.com/home-garden/article/plant-hicks-yew-18056508.php
2. https://www.atouchofgreen.net/hicks-yew
3. https://www.monrovia.com/hicks-yew.html
4. https://www.plantingtree.com/products/hicks-yew
5. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=f870

The post Hick’s Yew appeared first on Coniferous Forest.

This unique tree has long been valued not only for its ornamental qualities, but also for its medicinal properties. The plant has even shown potential in traditional medicine as an aid in treating certain diseases, including leukemia.

Japanese Plum Yew

The plant’s medicinal applications come from compounds found in its bark, needles, and stems, which have been studied for their ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. One of the compounds of interest is cephalotaxine, which has shown cytotoxic effects, meaning it can potentially kill or inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Studies have suggested that cephalotaxine and related compounds may have promising applications in the treatment of leukemia and other types of cancer. However, it’s important to note that while these compounds have demonstrated potential in laboratory settings, further research and clinical studies are needed to fully understand their efficacy and safety.

• Omacetaxine mepesuccinate: is another alkaloid compound derived from the leaves, and is being developed as a drug for the treatment of hematological cancers, including leukemia.
• Anti-leukemia properties: Studies have shown that Omacetaxine mepesuccinate has benefits in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia. Patients with solid tumors did not show any benefit so far.

In traditional Chinese medicine, plants in the Cephalotaxus genus have been used as a remedy to improve overall health and vitality, and their extracts have been explored as a supplementary treatment alongside more conventional therapies. Although the medicinal use of the Japanese Plum Yew is still under investigation, it remains an area of interest for botanists and pharmacologists alike.

Scientific Classification

Images of Japanese Plum Yew

Japanese Plum Yew Dwarf

Prostrate Japanese Plum Yew

Japanese Plum Yew Duke Gardens

Quick Information

Other Names	Korean plum yew, cowtail pine, Harrington’s cephalotaxus, Assam plum yew, plum fruit yew, spreading plum yew
Type	Evergreen shrub
Identification	Size: 5-10 ft (1.5-3 m) tall and 5-14 ft (1.5-4.3 m) wide Trunk Diameter: 4 ft (1.2 m) Needles (Leaves): Linear, 2 in (5 cm) long, 0.12 in (0.30 cm) wide, leathery, dark-green above and lighter green below, arranged on either side of the shoot Bark: Grey-colored Flowers: Males are pale cream-colored, becoming brown as they age, globular-shaped; females are spherical, can be found at the base of shoots Cones: Smooth, pale green with darker green stripes, ovoid-shaped, 1 inch long, 0.6 inch wide
Distribution	They are native to Japan and Korea
Habitat	Woodlands of deciduous forests at heights of 1,970-3,280 ft (600-1,000 m)
Hardiness Zones	6-9
Growth Rate	Slow
Lifespan	50-150 years
Growing Conditions	Summer: Part shade during hot summers, full sun during cooler ones Winter: First year of winter should be in cover Water: Moderate Light Requirement: Full sun to full shade Soil: Sand, loam, clay
Diseases & Pests	None
Reproduction System	Dioecious
Propagation	By cuttings and seeds
Seedling Development	Germination may take more than a year and half
Cutivars	Fastigiata (Upright) Prostrata Nana Hedgehog Drupacea Fritz Huber Korean Gold Gold splash Spreading
Uses	Ornamental; a substance known as omacetaxine, extracted from the leaves is used in treatment of leukemia
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Picture of Japanese Plum Yew

Spreading Japanese Plum Yew

Upright Japanese Plum Yew

Japanese Plum Yew Bonsai

Interesting Facts

• Oil derived from the fruits of the Japanese plum yew is edible, as are the seeds.
• This plant is sometimes confused with the similar sounding Japanese yew.

References:

1. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c769
2. https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/cephalotaxus-harringtonia
3. https://landscapeplants.aub.edu.lb/Plants/GetPDF/91b93daa-46d8-4654-a25c-ab490dcf7b10
4. http://rslandscapedesign.blogspot.com/2010/03/cephalotaxus-plum-yew.html
5. https://www.thespruce.com/japanese-plum-yew-growing-profile-3269170
6. https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Cephalotaxus+harringtonia
7. https://www.monrovia.com/spreading-japanese-plum-yew.html

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English Yew

Scientific Classification

Weeping English Yew

English Yew Tree

Quick Information

Other Names	Common yew, European yew
Tree Type	Evergreen
Identification	Size: 33-66 ft (10-20 m) Needles (Leaves): Dark green, flat, 0.39-1.57 in (1-4 cm) in length, 0.079-0.118 in (2-3 mm) broad, spirally arranged on the stem, poisonous Trunk Diameter: 6 ft 7 in (2 m) Bark: Scaly brown in color and thin Seed Cones: 0.16-0.28 (4-7 mm) length, surrounded in part by a fleshy scale which turns into a bright red colored structure known as aril, which itself is around 0.31-0.59 in (8-15 mm) Male Cones:  Ovoid with a quarter inch of a diameter
Distribution	Throughout Europe, from Turkey to Iran in Asia and in the African countries of Algeria and Morocco
Habitat	Mixed forests, coniferous forests, and mixed broad-leaved coniferous forests
Cultivars	T. b. ‘Fastigiata’ ·T. b. ’ Fastigiata Aureomarginata’ T. baccata ‘Icicle’ T. baccata ‘Semperaurea’ T. baccata ‘Repandens’ or spreading English yew T. baccata ‘Repens Aurea’ or golden English yew T. baccata ‘Standishii’
Hardiness Zones	5B-7B
Growth Rate	Slow
Lifespan	Usually 400-600 years
Growing Conditions	Summer Conditions: Clipping required once around late summer Winter Conditions: Faces difficulty in places with snow and fluctuating winters, as the sunlight during the day and freezing temperatures during the night causes the needles to go brown Light: Tolerant of shade but grows faster in open conditions Soil: Grows in a variety of soils, including chalk soils
Diseases & Pests	Root rot and honey fungus
Breeding System	Dioecious
Propagation	By cuttings
Seedling Development	Seeds prone to take long to germinate, often close to two years
Wildlife Value	Arils are eaten by many birds like thrushes, waxwings; seeds consumed by greenfinches, hawfinches, and great tits
Uses	Used in making longbows and woodwork because of hard softwood; the bark of this tree has medicinal properties; also the ability of this tree to withstand pruning makes it popular as a hedge
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Dwarf English Yew

English Weeping Yew

Interesting Facts

• Some botanists consider the Himalayan Yew to be a subspecies of the English Yew.
• An English yew in Scotland, called the Fortingall Yew, has the greatest trunk diameter among all trees in Britain, and estimates suggest that it is between 2,000-3,000 years old.

English Yew Pictures

English Yew Hedge

References:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus_baccata#Uses_and_traditions
2. https://www.britannica.com/plant/English-yew
3. http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=115
4. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/42546/117052436
5. https://www.weekand.com/home-garden/article/yew-varieties-18070224.php
6. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/st624
7. https://www.bellarmine.edu/faculty/drobinson/EnglishYew.asp
8. https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/2006/5-17/yew.html
9. https://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/blog/dead-and-dying-yew-trees-and-hedges/
10. https://pfaf.org/User/plant.aspx?LatinName=Taxus+baccata

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Pacific Yew

Scientific Classification

Western Yew

Taxus Brevifolia

Pacific Yew Tree

Pacific Yew Bark

Quick Information

Other Names	Western yew, Yew brush, Yew, Mountain Mahogany
Identification	Height: 30-50 ft (10-15 m) tall Trunk Diameter: 50 cm Leaves (needles): Spirally arranged, 1 to 3 cm long, 2 to 3 mm broad Seed cones: Single seed 4-7 mm long, develops into berry called aril, 8-15 mm long, wide with an open end. They mature 6-9 months post pollination Male Cones: Spherical, 3-6 mm diameter Bark: Scale-like, papery thin, brown to purplish in color
Tree type	Evergreen
Fruits	Toxic, contain Taxine alkaloids(A & B); fatally poisonous for humans, horses, cattle and pigs
Distribution/Range	Pacific Northwest of North America, British Columbia, Vancouver Island, Southeast Alaska, central California, and Idaho
Hardiness Zone	5-9
Growth rate	Slow
Lifespan	Long-lived (300 years)
Growing Conditions	Summer conditions: Warm, dry summer Winter conditions: Mild, wet winters with tolerance to frost Rainfall: Can survive flooding and brief deluge Sunlight: Tolerant to direct sunlight Soil: Grows best on rocky, gravelly, moist, rich, deep soil including Ultisols, Alfisols, and Inceptisols
Diseases and Pests	Inclination to rot from within, creating hollow forms; no leaf disease, localized damage caused by blight
Flowering/Fruiting	May or June
Breeding system	Dioecious
Seed development	Germinate slowly; 30°C day temperature and 20°C night temperature is desirable
Seed Production	Ripening of fruit takes place from August to October in the same year of flowering
Wildlife Value	Offer food and cover to many wild species such as deer, elk, and moose
Cultivars/Varieties	cv erecta, cv nana, cv nutallii; Taxus brevifolia var. reptaneta, Taxus brevifolia var. polychaeta
Uses	Wood is used in lumber industry and for manufacturing various items like canoe paddles, gunstocks, carved figurines, furniture, musical instruments,  bow staves, etc.
IUCN Conservation Status	Near Threatened

Pacific Yew Needles

Pacific Yew Leaf

Interesting facts

• Pacific yew has great medical importance since it contains a drug Taxol, which is being used for Cancer medicine Research.
• It is an attractive ornamental tree and is frequently used as a hedge plant.
• Pacific yew wood was used by the Native Americans to make warring, fishing, and hunting tools.

Pacific Yew Fruit

Pacific Yew Tree Images

References:

1. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/siuslaw/learning/nature-science/?cid=fsm9_019120
2. https://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=PGTXA01010
3. https://www.conifers.org/ta/Taxus_brevifolia.php
4. https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Taxus+brevifolia
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus_brevifolia

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Japanese Yew

Dwarf Japanese Yew

Japanese Yew Tree

Scientific Classification

Emerald Spreader Japanese Yew

Japanese Plum Yew

Japanese Yew Shrub

Quick Information

Japanese Yew Berries

Japanese Yew Bonsai

Japanese Yew Plant

Interesting Facts

• Astonishingly, the oldest Japanese Yews in the Sikhote-Alin region of Russia are believed to be over 1000 years old.
• It is one of the most durable of trees, impervious to pollution and bad weather that other coniferous trees may not be able to withstand.

Japanese Yew Bush

Japanese Yew Hedge

References:

1. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/taxus-cuspidata/
2. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/yew-problems
3. https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/552060
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus_cuspidata

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