Strolling through Josaphat Park
Identity
Category :
Arbre remarquable
Latin name :
Taxus baccata
French name :
If commun
Dutch name :
Gewone Taxus
English name :
Common yew
Family :
Taxaceae
Height :
7 m
Targeted height :
This species can grow up to 20 m
Diameter of the crown :
16 m
Trunk circumference :
192 cm
Expected circumference :
500 cm
Expected longevity :
Can live for 900–1000 years
Origin / Indigenous
Europe, northern Africa, Caucasus and Anatolia
Favorite soil :
Likes well draining soils that are rich and humid
Favorite climate
Temperate and continental
Usefulness and services of the tree :
Enhances the landscape :
+++
Enhances the biodiversity :
+
Provide oxygen :
++
Purify the air :
+
Filter the water :
+
Prevents flooding :
Stores carbon :
++
Softens the climate :
+++
Limits soil erosion :
-
Does good, heals :
+++
Belgian Federal State Collection on permanent loan to the Meise Botanical Garden : Mouillefert, Traité des arbres et arbrissaux, Atlas, pl. 32, 1892-1898
Features and characters of the individual
This grove of yews forms a sort of temple of greenery. Gardeners planted them in a circle, probably when the park was created at the beginning of the last century. For a long time their branches were braided together. Some of them have been bound together, connecting their trunks. As a result, it looks like these trees are united in a circle, arm in arm. Then, when upkeep and trimming of the grove was abandoned, the yew trees started to grow freely again. It is also said that children continued to shape their crowns by climbing up their branches. These yews seem to enjoy the company of children; it became a meeting place and playground for many youngsters. On the meadow side, the grove lowers its branches to the ground. An invitation to any visitors to climb and explore their crowns.
This portrait is enriched with an illustration from the Belgian Federal State Collection on permanent loan to the Meise Botanical Garden. See attached. Thanks to the library (heritage collection) for this contribution. https://www.plantentuinmeise.be/en/home/
