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Jim Wolford wrote:
>
> Jan is correct about the lovely shot of YEW with "berries" (and
> poisonous), which are really unusual cones, since yew is a conifer.
> Recently the media have been calling our native wild yew "ground
> hemlock".
Hi Jim & All, Oct 7, 2006
The name Ground Hemlock , as a common name for Taxus canadensis ,
has been in use by botanists for some decades: e.g.
Robinson & Fernald; Gray's Manual of Botany 7th ed., 1908,
Fernald; Gray's Manual of Botany 8th ed., 1950.
Fernald (1950) notes that "Pulp sweet, edible; seeds and wilted
foliage fatal to livestock." and in 1958 (Fernald, Kinsey & Rollins,
Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America; page 77) "The pulpy red
portion of the fruit is sweet and honeylike and perfectly edible. The
nut-like seed is reputed to be poisonous."
I have eaten these berries (arils) many times, always taking care to
not swallow the seeds in case there is some basis for their rumored
toxicity, and can confirm that they are a refreshing, sweet nibble.
I have not tried eating the fresh leaves, also reputed to be a good
nibble (Fernald, Kinsey & Rollins). Yew is of course a favourite brouse
of White Tailed Deer and after tough winters I have seen extensive Yew
stands chewed back practically to the roots.
I have never eaten the ornamental Yew berries (just have not had the
opportunity) but understand that they also are edible, provided the
European Taxus baccata is in fact also our ornamental Yew [Warming,
1895, Botany; with respect to European experience; "Taxus baccata is
usually planted in gardens, especially in hedges....The shoots are
poisonous, but not the aril, which is often eaten by children...".
Yours truly, Dave Webster, Kentville
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