The potted yew (Taxus) has high value. Do you have one at home?
The yew is a rare tree species. So, given how rare it is, how do we make the most of its value? Only by understanding it deeply can we make the best use of it and also preserve it better.
On the value of the yew:
Landscaping value. Its appearance is very beautiful and highly ornamental. While other plants set off red flowers with green leaves, it sets off red berries with green leaves. The fruit it bears turns a very bright red. The lively red look is very festive, which is why so many people like it.
Environmental value. The yew's greatest role is its environmental one; it is called the breathing tree and the environmental tree. Environmental problems are a major issue today, and air quality keeps declining, yet the yew has made a great contribution to our environmental cause. It can remove many harmful gases from the air, thereby purifying it. Having a potted yew bonsai not only improves air quality a little, but also lifts your spirits and makes breathing easier.
Timber value. The yew is widely used in high-end furniture and handicrafts. This depends on its hard material and high density. So it has always been used as a special choice of material. The roots of the yew have long been used for carving, and they have high collectible value. Its roots have clear grain, are smooth and fine, curved and coiled, and full of shimmering color, and on top of that they are extremely resistant to rot, making them perfectly suited to carving.
Medicinal value. I think everyone knows its medicinal value without my saying so. The reason it is so widely favored and highly praised on the market is mainly that it contains ingredients that can be used to treat cancer. This is where the yew's core value lies. Today we live in a fast-developing society, living standards keep rising, and food choices are diverse. This should be something to be glad about, yet many people pay no attention to healthy eating, which leads to an ever-higher incidence of cancer. The taxol in the yew is used to treat cancer. Taxol can only be extracted from the yew, and the extraction process is extremely complicated. This determines the yew's irreplaceable and exalted status.
Health-preservation value. As people's living conditions have improved, they pay more attention to health and wellbeing. Wine made from the yew is a very good health product. This wine can fight cancer, lower blood pressure and blood sugar, strengthen the stomach, and reduce inflammation, among other effects. And the wine does not lose the richness and mellow aroma it should have because of this.
The value of the yew is extremely high and irreplaceable, yet it is not without drawbacks, and pursuing it blindly is also wrong. Its fruit has medicinal effects but is also toxic, so you must be cautious.