Yew
The fruits of Yew (Taxus baccata), not berries but arils, are taken by a wide variety of birds. They, or rather the seeds that they contain, are highly poisonous as are the leaves and other parts of the plant. Just 500g grazed from the branch is sufficient to kill a cow, and just 100g sufficient to kill a horse.
Yew should be easy enough to recognise, the evergreen foliage and pinky-red fruits characteristic. Widely distributed across Britain and Ireland, the Yew is most often found on well-drained calcareous soils. It has been widely established in larger gardens, churchyards and amenity parkland, sometimes used as a hedge.
Access the Online Atlas of the British & Irish Flora for more information on Yew, including maps and other material.
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