Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may now be known as common yew, English yew, or European yew. Primarily grown as an ornamental, most parts of the plant are poisonous, and consumption of the foliage can result in death. It is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree, growing 33–66 ft tall, with a trunk up to 6 ft 7 in diameter. The bark is thin, scaly brown, coming off in small flakes. It can reach 400 to 600 years of age. Some specimens live longer but the age of yews is often overestimated. Ten yews in Britain are believed to predate the 10th century. The potential age of yews is impossible to determine accurately. There is rarely any wood as old as the entire tree, while the boughs themselves often become hollow with age, making ring counts impossible.
