Taxus

Taxus is a genus of shrubs or small coniferous trees in the yew family Taxaceae. They are considered slow-growing but can be very long-lived. It can reach heights of 1 to 40 metres, with the trunk girth averaging 5 metres. They have reddish bark, flat, dark-green leaves that are spirally arranged on the stem.

Male yews in this genus are able to release cytotoxic pollen that can cause headaches, aching joints, lethargy, itching and skin rashes. It is also a trigger for asthma conditions. The pollen granules are extremely small and they can easily pass through the window screens. The Male yews usually bloom and release large amounts of pollen during spring. The completely female yews only trap pollen, but they produce none. So, basically: yews in this genus are normally separate-sexed. The male allergy scale rating of 10 out of 10. Completely female yews have a rating of 1, and are considered "allergy-fighting".

Did you know some plants have not only the fruit, but also the flower as an edible ingredient? Sometimes even the leaves and wood can be used as a culinary ingredient. You can find a variety of these species at Astra Fund Holland BV, your flowers wholesale from Holland.