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Florida Yew
Scientific Name: Taxus floridana
Family Name: Taxaceae
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Florida Yew
Scientific Name: Taxus floridana
Family Name: Taxaceae
Leaves: Evergreen needles that are dark green, with two gray stripes on their undersides. The needles are ¾ - 1 in. (2 – 2.5 cm.) long and 1/16 in. (1.5 mm.) wide, and they grow in two rows, with pointed tips. The needles are flexible.
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Tree: Florida Yew can grow to be 13 – 20 ft. (4 – 6 m.), and its trunk diameter is 1 ft. (.3 m.). It is most commonly found as a low decorative bush, but in the wild, it will grow as a tree. Florida Yew bark is extremely shredded, and brown to purple in color.
Fruit: Separate bushes with female fruit and male cones. The fruit are dull red berry casing ½ in. (1.2 cm.) in diameter, with a brown seed inside, and the cones are pale yellow 1/8 in. (3 mm.) in diameter.
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Identifying Characteristics: The red berries growing on the Yew identify it.
Location: Many Florida Yews grow on the Brandeis University campus as decorative shrubs. The Yew pictured here grows behind Renfield Residence Hall.
History and Comments: Florida Yew is a native of Florida, but it is widely planted as a decorative shrub. Its seeds and needles are very poisonous (although not the red berry casing), and can be fatal for people and livestock.
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