Japanese yew Taxaceae Taxus cuspidata Siebold & Zucc.   symbol: TACU
	Leaf: Evergreen needles, single, spirally arranged but appearing 2-ranked on shaded branches, needles lay very flat, approximately 1 inch long, dark green and shiny above, tip abruptly pointed, yellow or pale green below with 12-15 rows of stomates. Flower: Dioecious; male flowers are small, round, and yellow and are borne on the undersides of the leaves; female flowers are solitary. Fruit: Naked ovoid seed 1/4 inch long, surrounded by a bright red, fleshy aril, maturing in late summer, persistent through fall. Twig: Light green in color, turning brown after several years; buds green with keeled scales, female flower buds are pointed, males rounded. Bark: Always thin (about 1/4 inch), reddish brown, and scaly; inner bark is reddish purple. Form: Small tree or large shrub to 25 feet, with many limbed boles and a short trunk.
	USDA Plants Database Taxus cuspidata is planted in the highlighted USDA hardiness zones to the left and may seed into the landscape. See a map of the states in which Japanese yew has escaped (opens a new window).