Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Stickhead on May 07, 2020, 10:21:16 am

Title: Is this English Yew?
Post by: Stickhead on May 07, 2020, 10:21:16 am
I have a small tree / large shrub that's growing too close to the house, and I need to give it the axe.  It looks different than the yew bushes I have, in that it grows more vertically, and has leaves lined up on opposite sides of the twig.  It has no cones or berries, so I assume it's a male.  I'm in Northern VA.  I think a couple of the trunks are large enough to have bows in them. 

So is it a yew?

(https://i.imgur.com/4nBJr3Y.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/W68W0wW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/zTdTVuy.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/uFzjvQw.jpg)
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on May 07, 2020, 10:23:37 am
Yup, that's a yew tree. What variety? Got me there.
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: Hawkdancer on May 07, 2020, 10:32:40 am
Might get your county or city forester to look at it for yew >:D (lol) Pun intended!  Couldn't resist!
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: DC on May 07, 2020, 10:33:31 am
The needles look like Hicks Yew but Hicks looks more upright(multi stemmed) than your pictures. Hicks is a hybrid and I can't find what it's parents are. Maybe one is English Yew.
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: DC on May 07, 2020, 10:38:25 am
Do a search on Taxus baccatta and see if that's what you've got. I'm thinking it is English Yew.
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: Stickhead on May 07, 2020, 11:01:38 am
Do a search on Taxus baccatta and see if that's what you've got. I'm thinking it is English Yew.
I’m thinking that’s it.  I don’t think the bark is red enough for Pacific yew.
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: DC on May 07, 2020, 11:07:36 am
It's not Pacific. Pacific has completely different needles, more like a thin scaggely Hemlock.
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: PatM on May 07, 2020, 11:45:47 am
It is just a variation of European Yew.   "English" yew is not really a species.  It's just a Yew tree grown in England.

  Yew trees with leaves growing all around the twig are a cultivar of a yew from Ireland that randomly produced this quirk.

  There are also hybrids between Japanese and European Yew.
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: Stickhead on May 07, 2020, 01:09:58 pm
Good info.  Thanks, guys!
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: dylanholderman on May 07, 2020, 01:11:17 pm
Yes it’s some kind of yew, I wouldn’t discount it once being the bush style yew that has just been neglected and grown big.
I’ve seen neglected yew bushes that are 12’-14’ tall and almost as wide.
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: PatM on May 07, 2020, 01:16:44 pm
It's quite common to find yew planted next to buildings as an ornamental.   Many are just left to grow rather than pruned to shape.
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: BowEd on May 07, 2020, 07:56:49 pm
In Iowa we have a lot of yew planted around grave yards.It's always been called Irish yew.More columnular or ornamental type by entry ways.I harvested some once by a house in town after given permission.Very thick growth rings and very light weight.
Your looks different.
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: bownarra on May 08, 2020, 12:30:58 am
That could be a picture from my local yew grounds and I live in England. :)
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: Hawkdancer on May 08, 2020, 01:32:42 am
Got to watch out for them Irish folk!  They are very close to the land and the "bow fairies"!  Be sure to leave a wee nip of uisge beatha in the shop!  Works wonders! >:D (lol) :BB!   (lol)!
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: GlisGlis on May 08, 2020, 10:44:04 am
show us the staves and billets  )W(
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: Stickhead on May 08, 2020, 11:01:31 am
show us the staves and billets  )W(
Well, it's not much of a haul, but here's what I got (the 5 on top).  They range from about 50" to 76".  It's mostly pretty thin and crooked.  The one large stave might work out if I can shave down below the woodpecker damage.  The others might end up as kids' bows.

(https://i.imgur.com/wtrcWBC.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/kvk816O.jpg)
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: BowEd on May 09, 2020, 05:44:21 am
A good amount of length on those.Might be worth messing with.What is the ring count on those?
Title: Re: Is this English Yew?
Post by: Stickhead on May 09, 2020, 10:26:42 am
A good amount of length on those.Might be worth messing with.What is the ring count on those?
Looks like about 10-12/inch