Scientific Name
Taxus brevifolia
Trade Name
Pacific yew
Family Name
Taxaceae
Common Names
Pacific yew, Western yew, Yew
Regions of Distribution
North America
Countries of Distribution [VIEW MAP]
Canada, United States
Common Uses
Bows, Cabinetmaking, Musical instruments , Paddles, Turnery
Environmental Profile
| Status has not been officially assessed |
Distribution Overview
The growth range of the Pacific yew extends from extreme southeastern Alaska south along the coast to central California. It is also found in southeast British Columbia down through the Rocky Mountains to central Idaho. It usually grows from sea level in the northern parts of its growth range to elevations of 7000 feet (2134 m) in the south. It prefers moist soils of stream banks and canyons and is usually found in the understory of coniferous forests of Douglas fir, Red cedar, Pine or Larch.
Heartwood Color
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| White | ||||||||||||
| Grey | ||||||||||||
| Orange – bright | ||||||||||||
| Brown |
Sapwood Color
| White to yellow | ||||||||||||
| Clearly differentiated from the heartwood |
Grain
| Even | ||||||||||||
| Closed | ||||||||||||
| Straight | ||||||||||||
| Figure | ||||||||||||
| Variable (figure) |
| Variable figure | ||||||||||||
| Straight | ||||||||||||
| Closed |
Texture
| Coarse | ||||||||||||
| Too heavy for general purpose plywood | ||||||||||||
| Fine | ||||||||||||
| Dense |
Luster
| High |
Natural Durability
| Perishable | ||||||||||||
| Non-durable | ||||||||||||
| High natural resistance to wood destroying organisms | ||||||||||||
| Heartwood has high natural resistance to attack by fungi |
The wood can be used for exterior applications without any chemical protection.
Odor
| No specific smell or taste |
Toxicity
| Sawdust can cause nose irritation in some individuals | ||||||||||||
| Sawdust can cause irritation in some individuals |
Dust from machining operations is reported to cause temporary nose irritation and swollen hands in some individuals. Most parts of the tree, including the seeds and foliage are also poisonous, and can be life threatening if ingested
Drying Defects
| Moderate drying rates produce distortion and slight warping |
Shakes may be severe if the wood is dried too rapidly
Ease of Drying
| Fairly Easy | ||||||||||||
| Little degrade | ||||||||||||
| Mild kiln schedules recommended to minimize drying defects |
End coatings have been recommended to slow down the rate of drying in order to minimize degrade
Tree Size
| Bole length is 10-20 m | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 10-20 m | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 20-30 m | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 30-40 m |
The evergreen trees usually develop an angled trunk that is typically twisted or irregular
Product Sources
Supplies are rather limited in both lumber and veneer forms, and the material is priced in the costly range when available.
Comments
Pacific yew is of little commercial importance because of its scarcity
Blunting Effect
| Little |
Boring
| Fair to good results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly easy to very easy |
Carving
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Cutting Resistance
| Easy to saw |
Mortising
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Moulding
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Nailing
| Pre-Boring Recommended | ||||||||||||
| Tends to split during nailing |
Planing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Yields clean surfaces | ||||||||||||
| Responds well to most ordinary tools in machining operations |
Resistance to Impregnation
| Permeable sapwood | ||||||||||||
| Permeable heartwood |
Routing & Recessing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Screwing
| Pre-boring recommended | ||||||||||||
| Good screw holding properties |
Turning
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Very good |
Veneering Qualities
| Suitable for peeling |
Steam Bending
| Responds very well to steam bending |
Polishing
| Surface Preparation | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
Staining
Non-Oil finishes are suggested since oil is reported to turn the heartwood to a chocolate-tan.
Strength Properties
The weight is high
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
| Weight | 40 | 33. | lbs/ft3 |
| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
References
Kline, M. 1980. Taxus brevifolia – Pacific yew. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 335-336.
Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees – Western Region. Published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York.