good yew, bad yew? (updated with pics)

[aaron]

I am going to a friends house on the oregon coast to cut down a yew she wants gone. I am fairly certain its not a pacific yew.It is growing in partial sun next to a garage. It has multiple vertical stems, is quite branchy. The side facing the garage looks mostly free of branches. She says her place was once a plant nursery so perhaps it is an overgrown ornamental variety or something. One question is how to I.d. the various yews. Another question is  are there yews that are not good for bows?. I will get pics when I go down there to get it.

[upstatenybowyer]

Sounds like Irish Yew (Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata). Tim Baker describes it in TBB 4.

[PatM]

Up here typical ornamental "tree" yews are just European Yew while the shrubbier types are the "Irish" cultivar or Japanese/hybrid varieties
 Remember trees don't recognize national boundaries.

   I have tested  a lot of samples from these trees and they are all really good at bending and recovering. It comes down to how much character you can tolerate.

[High-Desert]

Yes, I'd second the Irish yew, but it could also be the common ornimentalplant, Japanese yew, Podocarpus macrophylla, which is not a yew at all. When you get a chance, post some pictures of it.

Eric

[Pat B]

A pic with a close up of the needles and the whole plant in the ground. Growth characteristics, as well as needles can be a good ID tool.
 I have a pole from what I think was Japanese yew I cut 5 or 6 years ago on a landscape job. It should be ready to do something with

[PatM]

Yes, I'd second the Irish yew, but it could also be the common ornimentalplant, Japanese yew, Podocarpus macrophylla, which is not a yew at all. When you get a chance, post some pictures of it.

Eric

  There is actually a Japanese Yew as well.

[Chris3kilo]

Japanese yew = Taxus cuspidata
Common yew = Taxus Baccata
I can't even see the difference between them

[Del the cat]

Just make a bow and see how it turns out... there is so much variation in Yew I wouldn't bother sticking labels on it. I've had suckers which had shot up from ancient Yew 6" diameter that was poor, and scruffy pale wide ringed stuff that was great.
Del

[Marc St Louis]

Could also be Hicks Yew

[PatM]

That one is a hybrid of Japanese and English.

[wizardgoat]

I agree with Del. When you work enough Yew up see all sorts of different stuff and the only real way to find out is to make a bow. ive had real pale yew with rings thicker than premium Osage, and I was very happy with the bows.  I haven't messed with any of my landscape yew yet, I have one stave that has just ONE 1/8" sapwood ring.

[penderbender]

Goat, one sapwood ring. That sounds interesting. I have found with tighter ringed yew has about 16 sap rings and with thicker ringed stuff usually about 6. Never had any landscape stuff though. Got a pic of it? Cheers- Brendan

[aaron]

pictures follow. lots of sapwood and wide rings.

[aaron]

more

[DC]

I'm sure there's a bow or two in there