European Yew

called also English or Common Yew is a dioecious evergreen conifer growing to a length of up to 20 m and a width of 17 m. It seeks shaded places for its growth. Yew is strictly protected in the Czech Republic (it can be found, for instance, in the Křivoklát region and at Terešovská Huť). The tree is heavily branched and is the heaviest of Czech trees. The wood of yew is like almost the whole plant poisonous. That is why yew is much more durable than other trees as the poison protects it from parasites. Due to its flexibility, yew is the perfect wood for making bows (and that’s why it has almost become extinct).