Taxus cuspidata — Japanese yew
![Flowers: Taxus cuspidata. ~ By Bruce Patterson. ~ Copyright © 2024 Bruce Patterson. ~ foxpatterson[at]comcast.net](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Taxaceae/taxus-cuspidata-fl-bpatterson2-f.jpg)
![Flowers: Taxus cuspidata. ~ By Bruce Patterson. ~ Copyright © 2024 Bruce Patterson. ~ foxpatterson[at]comcast.net](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Taxaceae/taxus-cuspidata-fl-bpatterson2-m.jpg)
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Facts
N/A
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), forest edges, shrublands or thickets
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- Growth form
- the plant is a tree
- Leaf form
- the leaves are needle-like
- Leaf cross-section
- the needle-like leaves are flattened (can't be rolled between the fingers)
- Leaf arrangement
- there is one needle-like leaf per node
- Seed cone form
- the seed cone is formed from a solitary seed surrounded by a red aril
- Leaf clustering
- the needle-like leaves are single, with one per node
- Seed cone shape
-
- the seed cone is ellipsoid (oval, tapering to rounded ends)
- the seed cone is globose (spherical)
- Leaves overlapping
- the needle-like leaves are separate and do not hide the twig surface
-
Fruits or seeds
- Seed cone base
- NA
- Seed cone bracts
- the bracts are covered by the seed cone scales
- Seed cone form
- the seed cone is formed from a solitary seed surrounded by a red aril
- Seed cone scales
- NA
- Seed cone shape
-
- the seed cone is ellipsoid (oval, tapering to rounded ends)
- the seed cone is globose (spherical)
- Seed cone symmetry
- the seed cone is symmetrical
- Seed cone umbo position
- NA
- Seed cone umbo spine
- NA
- Seed wings
- there are no wings on the seeds
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is a tree
-
Leaves
- Leaf arrangement
- there is one needle-like leaf per node
- Leaf base
- NA
- Leaf clustering
- the needle-like leaves are single, with one per node
- Leaf cross-section
- the needle-like leaves are flattened (can't be rolled between the fingers)
- Leaf duration
- the needle-like leaves remain green all winter
- Leaf form
- the leaves are needle-like
- Leaf glands
- there are no glands on the underside of the needle-like leaves
- Leaf stalks
- the needle-like leaves have a small leaf stalk
- Leaf types
- there is only one type of needle-like leaf on the twig
- Leaves overlapping
- the needle-like leaves are separate and do not hide the twig surface
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- edges of forests
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- shrublands or thickets
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Bark resin blisters
- there are no resin blisters on the bark
- Leaves on shoots
- the needle-like leaves do not grow in tight clusters on a short, knob-like shoot
- Twig bloom
- there is no bloom on the twig
- Twig hair type
- the twigs have few or no hairs on them
- Twig hairs
- the twig does not have hairs
- Twig winter color
-
- brown
- red
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
3. Taxus cuspidata Sieb. & Zucc. E
Japanese yew. CT, MA, VT. Forest edges, thickets, roadsides, areas of habitation.
Native to North America?
No
Sometimes confused with
- Taxus baccata:
- winter bud scales blunt at the apex, slightly keeled, and leaf blades gradually tapering to the apex (vs. T. cuspidata, with winter bud scales sharply pointed to cuspidate, definitely keeled or folded, and leaf blades abruptly tapering to the apex).
- Taxus canadensis:
- low shrubs with straggling, diffusely branched habit, leaf blades mostly 1–2 mm wide, and petioles gradually curved or with an abrupt bend near the junction of the branch, not clasping the branchlet (vs. T. cuspidata, with plants upright, leaf blades 2–3 mm wide, and petioles with an abrupt bend near the junction of the blade, clasping the branchlet).