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SoftwoodDurability class 1

European Yew

Taxus baccata

Thin pale sapwood; heartwood orangish brown sometimes with darker/purplish hue; darkens with age.

European yew (Taxus baccata) is a slow-growing, fine-textured softwood with a distinctive orange‑brown heartwood and pale sapwood. It’s traditionally used for bows, turning, carving, and small decorative work; it can be very durable but is difficult to source in large clear sizes.