Eastern Forest Threat Center - Japanese Yew

Search Again

State Information

Select a state,
then click a link.


County/Parish Information

Select a county,
then click a link.


Japanese yew

Japanese yew

University of Connecticut Plant Database

Japanese Yew
Taxus cuspidata

Japanese yew is native to eastern Asia. Used as a popular landscape plant, it has escaped throughout much of New England and now appears in woodlots and young forests.

Keywords: Taxaceae, small tree, large shrub, thin bark, evergreen needles, dioecious, naked ovoid seed, red fleshy aril, acidic soils, cold humid habitats

Distribution Map Distribution Source Image

Threat Description

Japanese yew is a small tree or large shrub in the yew family growing to 25 ft. in height. Growth varies from broad to narrow, spreading to upright, and flat-topped to pyramidal. It has many limbed boles and a short trunk. The bark is thin, reddish brown, and scaly, and the inner bark is reddish purple. Stems are light green in color, turning brown after several years. Buds are green with keeled scales (female flower buds are pointed and male buds are rounded). Evergreen needles are single, spirally arranged, flat, approximately 1 in. long, and dark green and shiny above to pale green or yellow below with 12-15 rows of stomates. Male and female flowers are found on separate plants (dioecious). Male flowers are small, round, yellow and borne on the undersides of the leaves; female flowers are solitary. The fruit is a naked ovoid seed, ΒΌ in. long, surrounded by a bright red, fleshy aril, maturing in late summer, persistent through fall. Japanese yew is located on acidic soils in cold humid habitats. It likes moist, well-drained soil, but not wet soils, and can grow in sun or shaded habitats.