Yew Berry

In order to provide wood for longbows villages were required to plant yew trees. However, the berry is highly poisonous as is the foliage if eaten by ruminants so the trees were planted in churchyards which were usually surrounded by walls. The seed cones are highly modified, each cone containing a single seed 4-7 millimetres long partly surrounded by a modified scale which develops into a soft, bright red berry-like structure called an aril which is open at the end. The arils are mature 6-9 months after pollination, and with the seed contained are eaten by thrushes, waxwings and other birds, which disperse the hard seeds undamaged in their droppings; maturation of the arils is spread over 2-3 months, increasing the chances of successful seed dispersal. The seeds themselves are extremely poisonous and bitter (especially to humans), but are opened and eaten by some bird species including Hawfinches and Great Tits. The aril is not poisonous, and is gelatinous and very sweet tasting.