Taxus x media
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −28.9 °C
Cultivation
Thrives in almost any soil, acid or alkaline, as long as it is well-drained. Dormant plants are very cold-hardy in Britain, though the new growth in spring can be damaged by light frosts[K]. Leaves have a reddish tinge when the plants are grown in a sunny position. Plants produce very little fibrous root and should be planted in their final positions when still small. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. The cultivar 'Sargentii' was 3 metres tall and 1 metre wide at the Hillier Arboretum in September 1993. It was growing well and carrying a good crop of tasty fruit though the harvest time seemed to be somewhat later than that of T. baccata[K].
Propagation
Seed - can be very slow to germinate, often taking 2 or more years. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in pots in a cold frame. The seedlings are very slow-growing and will probably require at least 2 years of pot cultivation before being large enough to plant out. Any planting out is best done in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts[K]. This is a hybrid species, it will not breed true from seed. Cuttings of half-ripe terminal shoots, 5 - 8cm long, July/August in a shaded frame. Should root by late September but leave them in the frame over winter and plant out in late spring. Cuttings of ripe terminal shoots, taken in winter after a hard frost, in a shaded frame.
Edible uses
Fruit - raw[K]. Very sweet and gelatinous, most people find it delicious though some find it sickly[K]. The fruit is a fleshy berry about 10mm in diameter and containing a single seed. All other parts of this plant, including the seed, are highly poisonous. When eating the fruit you should spit out the large seed found in the fruit's centre. Should you swallow the whole seed it will just pass straight through you without harm, if the seed has been bitten into, however, it could cause some problems.
Medicinal uses
Modern research has shown that yew trees contain the substance 'taxol' in their shoots and bark. Taxol has shown exciting potential as an anti-cancer drug, particularly in the treatment of ovarian cancers. See also the notes above on toxicity.
Material uses
Wood - strong, hard, heavy. Used for paddles, fence posts etc.
Habitat
Not known in the wild.
Native range
A hybrid species of garden origin, T. baccata x T. cuspidata.