Can you eat the fruit of a yew tree?
Health. Most parts of the Yew tree (except for the bright red arils) are highly poisonous to mammals when ingested because they contain toxic compounds called taxines. Although poisoning in this clinical setting is unlikely due to close dose monitoring, ingestion of yew tree leaves, either deliberately or accidentally, is a serious and potentially fatal cause of poisoning.All parts of the yew plant are toxic except the fleshy part of the aril (the fruit of the yew that looks like a berry) that surrounds the seed.While the entire yew hedge or tree is considered to be poisonous, the berries and more specifically, the seeds of the plant are recorded to contain the highest concentration levels of taxine. Initial symptoms of yew poisoning can include: nausea and vomiting.Eating yew (Taxus baccata) berries and foliage (but particularly the foliage) can cause dizziness, a dry mouth, abdominal cramps, salivation and vomiting. Can be fatal to dogs and death can come without any prior symptoms.Yew fruits are pale red and fleshy, and grow singly or in small clusters across the tree. They contain a single dark seed which is visible at either ‘end’ of the fruit. The fleshy part of the fruit is edible, but the seeds contain the toxic alkaloid taxine and are extremely poisonous to birds and to humans.
What is the myth of the yew tree?
Yew Tree Folklore and History In pre-Christian times, the yew tree was more than just a poisonous plant; it symbolized the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. If the trunk died, a new one emerged, bringing the entire tree back to life – a natural resurrection. Yew trees were planted in graveyards as they thrived on corpses and were then readily available to make excellent bows. Yew trees were planted in churchyards to prevent archers from procuring suitable branches for making bows and thus having good weapons to oppose the King’s men.The themes of death and resurrection continued into the Christian era. People buried yew shoots with the deceased, and used boughs of yew as ‘Palms’ in church at Easter. Yew trees have established a popular association with old churches in Britain.Yew trees were planted in churchyards partly because they were more protected there from archers who liked to cut off branches to make arrows. Also yews are poisonous to many animals so the planting of yew trees effectively prevented farmers using the churchyard as grazing land.The yew tree has been associated with death and the journey of the soul from this life to the next for thousands of years. It was sacred to Hecate, Ancient Greek Goddess of Death, Witchcraft and Necromancy, and was said to purify the dead as they entered the underworld of Hades.
What are the uses of yew berries?
The berry flesh has been used by herbalists to treat a variety of ailments including cystitis, headache and neuralgia. In more recent times scientists have discovered that extracts of yew have anti-cancer properties. The very hard, close-grained wood was used in furniture making. Yew berry seeds are poisonous to most mammals, but the fruit’s bright red colour attracts woodland creatures. Badgers can eat the fruit and pass the intact seeds in their poop without being poisoned. Yew is one of only three coniferous species (trees that bear cones and needle-like leaves) native to the UK.While the entire yew hedge or tree is considered to be poisonous, the berries and more specifically, the seeds of the plant are recorded to contain the highest concentration levels of taxine. Initial symptoms of yew poisoning can include: nausea and vomiting.All parts of yew are toxic, except the berry-like fruits (although the seeds inside them are highly poisonous). So to be on the safe side, wear gloves when handling hedge clippings, taking cuttings or sowing seeds.Eating more than three yew berries can cause vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, dizziness, difficulty breathing and changes in heart rate.
Can you touch yew berries?
Yew is really only poisonous if it gets inside you, either through breathing in saw dust or through ingestion. Handling it with your bare hands will not cause any problems as long as you don’t have any open sores or wounds in contact with the wood. If parts of the yew tree have been eaten or swallowed, a doctor must be consulted immediately. There is no need to worry about cutting or just touching the yew tree, as the toxin is mainly released when the plant is ingested orally and when the plant parts are chewed in the body.Collecting. The only edible part of a Yew is the aril or ‘berry’ flesh, the small stone in the middle is toxic and must not be chewed or swallowed. The flesh comes away from the seed easily and is best done in the mouth as long as you remember to spit out the seed!
What are the benefits of yew trees?
Plant uses Pacific yew bark is the source of paclitaxel, a medicine used to treat lung, breast and ovarian cancer. Many Native American and First Nation peoples would use Pacific yew bark in traditional medicines. The drug Taxol (chemical name: paclitaxel) is made from the bark of Pacific yew trees. The drug Taxotere (chemical name: docetaxel) is made from the needles of European yew trees.Taxol is a widely used chemotherapy drug – it has been used to treat millions of ovarian, breast, and lung cancer patients. Today, it’s mainly produced by extracting its chemical precursor, baccatin III, from yew trees.
What does yew mean in the Bible?
For the Celts, the yew symbolized immortality. Because the early Christians often built their churches over the top of pagan sites, yews began to be associated with Christian beliefs too, specifically the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, since the same tree can be reborn from a new shoot. The yew is one of the longest-lived native species in Europe. This has made it a symbol of death and doom, but it provides food and shelter for woodland animals.