Stats

Lifespan: 400-2,000 yrs
Size: Huge
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Temperate forest
Range: Europe and Western Asia
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Seeds
Defense: Toxins
Status: Common

About

The common yew is an evergreen conifer found across Europe and western Asia. Its bright red arils are the only part of the tree that does not contain lethal toxins.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Taxaceae
Genus: Taxus
Species: Taxus baccata