The Japanese yew is an evergreen that is native to several regions of Asia and has spiny needles and red, ornamental fruits. ... However, note that the Japanese yew's foliage and seeds are quite poisonous and that in many areas of the American northeast it is considered an invasive species.

The Japanese Yew, Taxus cuspidata, is native to Japan and looks at home in landscapes in our area. This versatile evergreen has attractive, dark green, needle-like foliage on dense branches. In the winter, bright red flesh fruit can appear and create a beautiful contrast with the foliage.

It has a very slow growth rate (6" per year at most) but can grow easily in full sun to full shade, tolerating extreme shade very well.

Japanese yew is a shrub or small tree typically growing less than 2 meters in height (USDA-NRCS, 2017), though in its native conditions it may achieve a maximum height of 10 meters (Missouri Botanical Garden, 2017). The leaves (needles) are 2 to 3 cm long and abruptly acute on the tip.. . . . .364011234687!]0000000000000009783314146481!]