tuxwa’tsulhp | Pacific Yew – Plants in the Hul’q’umi’num’ World

Hul'q'umi'num' name:

tuxwa’tsulhp

English Name:

Pacific Yew

Alternative English Names:

Yew, Western Yew

Scientific Name:

Taxus brevifolia

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Description

Description, Habitat, Ecology, Distribution

Western yew is an evergreen shrub to small tree found in mature and old growth forests. The leaves are flat needles. The seeds are surrounded by bright red, fleshy structures called arils. Yew wood is heavy, tough and durable. Yew occurs from low to middle elevations throughout the coast.

Island Cultural Role

Yew wood was used for bows and paddles.

Cautions

CAUTION: This species may be harmful. It contains a number of alkaloids, as well as an irritating volatile oil, and a cyanogenic glycoside. All parts of this tree are toxic except for the red, fleshy arils, which surround the seeds. Even one or two seeds, if consumed, could be fatal to a small child with death resulting from respiratory and heart failure.

Language

Hul'q'umi'num' Name

tuxwa’tsulhp

APA

təxʷaʔcəɫp

Speaker

Bill Seward

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Featured Plant

sqw’il’muhw | Trailing Blackberry

This is the only native blackberry species in British Columbia. It is a low, trailing plant with deciduous leaves and white to pink flowers that produce the small blackberry fruits. It is common in disturbed sites and dry, open forests from low to middle elevations throughout the southern two-thirds of Vancouver Island and the southern coast of the province. sqw’il’muhw is also used to refer to the introduced Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)