Carpe diem! But drop that fruit!

One of my earliest horticultural memories is of the towering yew that stood before our front door on Polk Avenue in East Northport, NY. It seemed towering to me anyway — and definitely loud. Birds flocked there to perch, nest and chirp madly amongst its dark, thick branches and feast on the juicy red fruit. It was those marvelous berries (technically arils, just like what you see inside a pomegranate) that seemed to glow from within that really captured my imagination. I have always possessed a keen eye for potential food items and those berries looked mighty tasty. I figured if the birds enjoyed them I probably would, too.

It was around this time of year many years ago that my mom and I were walking up to our front door. The yew loomed large and the berries glowed enticingly; they had reached peak ripeness and the birds were going hog wild. Naturally I wanted a sample, but just as quickly as I thrust my greedy little paw into the shrubbery my mother shouted “NO” and covered my fist with her hand thereby squashing the one berry I'd mangaged to seize. The slimey goo that remained in my palm before its thorough washing was nothing like I'd imagined it would be.

Unbeknownst to me at that time, but clearly understood by Mom, the toxicity of the yew seed, as well as the foliage and bark, eliminates it from human, equine and bovine menus. Interestingly and importantly for successful seed dispersal, birds digest the pretty fruit and pass the completely viable seed in their droppings later.

Some four decades later I can’t be sure but I’m guessing that yew was a Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’, a cultivar bred on Long Island at the famous Hicks Nurseries, that is still a popular if overused shrub. (Who else remembers the giant witch that stood guard over the Hicks parking lot and all those pumpkins every autumn? I loved her.)

If you enjoy bird watching as much as I do, and you missed the recent wild bird presentation at the South Dakota State Fair, here are some bird-attracting fruit-bearing plants:

Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica)
Beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri)
Holly, all kinds (Ilex spp.)
Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)
Oregon grape holly (Mahonia aquifolium)
Yew (Taxus spp.)

I was unable to attend myself so I don’t know if Dave mentioned any of these plants but there are so many more to consider. This site is great for all sorts of birding information: http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/. Here's the direct link to a compilation of useful books on bird gardens: http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/Bird-Garden.html.

I’m not certain but The Yew Incident may predate The First Day of Kindergarten Incident, in which I decided to accept the invitation for a future play date that very day — without asking either of our mothers first. The calm with which Mrs. Adler greeted me and posed her query was impressive. She said, “Hello, little girl. What’s your name and do you know your mommy’s phone number?” I still know our old phone number: 516-757-8564. Carpe diem indeed.