Why is the yew called a precious plant?

Yews are distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. The entire family has only 5 genera and 23 species, and China alone has 4 categories and 13 species. These plants grow naturally in coniferous or broad-leaved forests at altitudes above 1200 m. Over the past twenty to thirty years, research has mostly focused on several species in this genus, such as the Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis), Yunnan yew (Taxus wallichiana var. yunnanensis), Northeast yew (Taxus cuspidata) and southern yew (Taxus wallichiana var. mairei).

The yew is one of the precious tree species, with fine wood grain that resists moisture and decay; its form is graceful, with dense dark green foliage, and it likes moisture and tolerates shade. It was introduced early by garden workers as a landscaping plant for multi-layered gardens or shady planting sites, and in recent years its beautiful evergreen form and shade tolerance have also been used for potted enjoyment.

In addition to garden ornamental use, people have long been well aware of the yew's medicinal value: the bark has a damp-dispelling and pain-relieving effect and is used for heatstroke-like pain, nephritis edema and rheumatic pain; the leaves clear heat and detoxify and are used for tonsillitis; its seed oil can expel parasites and aid digestion, and tonify the kidneys and secure essence. Research on the paclitaxel contained in its bark at a level of 4 parts per 100,000 began in the 1960s and 1970s, and it shows good efficacy against uterine cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia.

In the 1980s, Europe and China were already able to extract the active substance paclitaxel from its branches and leaves, at a content of 1 percent, and extensive research, extraction and measurement were also carried out from many plants in the same genus.

Large-scale cultivation and planting. According to reports, the United States has already cultivated 10 million Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis) plants, the species with the highest paclitaxel content, and is continuing to expand. China has also widely carried out research on rapid cutting propagation with notable results, though there have been no reports of large-scale planting.

When planted in the low-altitude area of Guangzhou, no matter which kind of yew it is, conditions with summer and autumn temperatures above 28°C and a day-night temperature difference of only 6-7°C always inhibit normal growth of the yew. Of course, if potted, "moving the environment" to "escape the heat" out of fear of heat may be somewhat better. In addition, slow growth is inherent to this tree species, and because it naturally shows moisture tolerance (including air humidity) and liking for fertilizer, one should not rush it artificially by frequently watering and fertilizing the plant to force growth, which ultimately brings disaster upon the plant instead.

It blooms from March to May and sets "fruit" (without a fruit peel) from July to August, oblate in shape and a bit larger than a soybean. The aril covering most seeds of this genus is bright red or purplish red quite showy, but sowing seeds may delay germination for several months or even up to a year, and sprouting is uneven, so conventional propagation mostly uses cuttings.