Taxus cuspidata: Wildlife Value
birds
Plant Profile: Taxus cuspidata
Taxonomy: Taxus cuspidataNames
Japanese Yew
Phonetic Spelling:TAKS-us kus-pi-DAY-tuh
Genus:Taxus
Species:cuspidata
Family:Taxaceae
This is an evergreen shrub characterized by its alternate, simple, and linear leaves. The seeds are found in the axils and are encased in a red, fleshy aril that almost completely envelops the green seed.
It thrives in urban environments and is resilient to drought, demonstrating excellent cold hardiness.
Taxus cuspidata Feature Summary
Tags
#evergreen
#hardy
#poisonous
#drought tolerant
#winter interest
#cpp
#cold tolerant
#urban conditions tolerant
#problem for cats
#problem for dogs
#problem for horses
Similar Plants
Taxus cuspidata Feature Summary
Attributes
birds
Bark, leaves, seed pit (red, fleshy surrounding part, called the aril, is OK to eat)
Woody
Buffer
Fruit
The red arils, in small amounts, are edible. The green seed is toxic.
Red/Burgundy
Poisonous to Humans
Nervousness, trembling, slow pulse, pupil dilation, difficult breathing, seizures (dogs), abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, convulsions; may be fatal. Early signs: muscular tremors, dyspnea, seizures in dogs.
Alkaloid taxine
High
Seeds
Leaves
Bark
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Poisonous
Needled Evergreen
Vase
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Good Drainage
6-feet-12 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Leaves
Needled Evergreen
Green
Alternate
Linear
Stem
Landscape
Hedge
Screen/Privacy
Barrier
Drought
Urban Conditions
Dry Soil
Songbirds
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Taxus cuspidata Image Gallery
Taxus cuspidata Attributes
Taxus cuspidata: Edibility
Bark, leaves, seed pit (red, fleshy surrounding part, called the aril, is OK to eat)
Taxus cuspidata: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Taxus cuspidata: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Taxus cuspidata Fruit
Taxus cuspidata: Fruit Description
The red arils, in small amounts, are edible. The green seed is toxic.
Taxus cuspidata: Fruit Color
Red/Burgundy
Taxus cuspidata: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Taxus cuspidata Poisonous to Humans
Taxus cuspidata: Poison Symptoms
Nervousness, trembling, slow pulse, pupil dilation, difficult breathing, seizures (dogs), abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, convulsions; may be fatal. Early signs: muscular tremors, dyspnea, seizures in dogs.
Taxus cuspidata: Poison Toxic Principle
Alkaloid taxine
Taxus cuspidata: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Taxus cuspidata: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Taxus cuspidata: Poison Part
Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems
Taxus cuspidata Whole Plant Traits
Taxus cuspidata: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Taxus cuspidata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Taxus cuspidata: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Taxus cuspidata: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Taxus cuspidata Cultural Conditions
Taxus cuspidata: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Taxus cuspidata: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Taxus cuspidata: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Taxus cuspidata: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Taxus cuspidata: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
Taxus cuspidata: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Taxus cuspidata Leaves
Taxus cuspidata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Taxus cuspidata: Leaf Color
Green
Taxus cuspidata: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Taxus cuspidata: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Taxus cuspidata: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Taxus cuspidata Stem
Taxus cuspidata: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Taxus cuspidata Landscape
Taxus cuspidata: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Taxus cuspidata: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Taxus cuspidata: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
Taxus cuspidata: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
