Taxus baccata, commonly known as the European yew or common yew, is a coniferous tree of the family Taxaceae. The name Taxus is derived from the Latin word for yew, while baccata means “berry-bearing,” referring to the bright red arils that surround its seeds. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia.

Historically, T. baccata held significant cultural and practical importance. It was sacred to Celtic and Germanic peoples, often planted in churchyards and associated with death and immortality. Its dense, resilient wood was prized for crafting longbows, spears, and other tools throughout the medieval period, especially in England. In terms of ethnobotany, the bright red arils of T. baccata were sometimes consumed, as they are the only non-toxic part of the plant, but with extreme caution due to the deadly toxicity of the seeds and all other tissues. In modern times, T. baccata has been cultivated primarily as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. While its arils remain occasionally eaten, its greatest importance lies in pharmacology: the species is a source of taxanes, precursors of the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel (Taxol).