Yew Tree Toxins

[Fourwings]

I was watching a mixed flock of Fieldfares & Redwings stuffing themselves with Yew berries the other day, they must be totally immune to the toxins contained within the plant.
I've seen half grown beef beast killed very quickly by accidentally eating only a very tiny amount of yew!!

[arvensis]

I believe that the only part of a Yew tree not toxic to a human is the berry- as long as the seed is spat out- something I'm not willing to try !!

[wildone]

Were they ingesting the whole berry or just the red aril? The arils are not poisonous but every other part of the yew tree is. Mammals tend to eat the foliage which is deadly, but they do not seem aware of the fact. I wonder if that is why they yews were and are so often are found in churchyards, which are usually walled to keep out grazing beasts.

[Fourwings]

I was once told that the reason for so many yews being found in churchyards had something to do with the tree being regarded as sacred in ancient times, pressumably pre-christian.

I could really say for sure just how much of the berries the birds were eating, but either way it has to be very risky eating anything from a yew, on the other hand I've not found any Fieldfares or Redwings lying dead in the garden either

[wildone]

I have an aquantance who regularly eats the red arils from yews. I have tried them myself but they are too sweet and gelatenous for my taste. All that was said to me was "make sure you spit out as many seeds as you put berries into your mouth". It was some three years ago when I tried them and I am still here to tell the tale.

[Fourwings]

You are one very brave man Wildone - thats got to be extremely risky !!!
I just assumed as most people do that the entire Yew tree was highly toxic.

[wildone]

Fourwings

Both my acquaintance and myself are older females. Maybe because females were the original gatherers we were more willing to find out what food is OK for the rest of the tribe, especially, as the older ones we could be dispensed with more easily.

[Fourwings]

Originally Posted by wildone

Fourwings

Both my acquaintance and myself are older females.

Wildone - my humble appologies re the gender mistake

You are absolutely correct about being the original gatherers, the elder women may have been sort of dispensable in ancient times but, they were in the perfect position to get rid of any pain in the backside man who crossed their path.
Could they have made them a nice pot of YEW STEW

[nightshade]

Yew trees were kept in churchyards to keep stock from being poisoned and to make longbows from

[henrya]

Quote
Yew trees were kept in churchyards to keep stock from being poisoned and to make longbows from
Endquote

Most longbows were made from Yew imported from Europe or Ireland - there wouldn't be enough wood in the trees in a churchyard to make many longbows, though doubtless a few were made. I think Fourwings has the main reason - it was the remnants of pre-Christian religions.

henrya