[Thylacine]

Walking in the woods last week, another birder says to me "Yew berries are only poisonous if you swallow the central stone" he then pulls a yew berry off a tree, eats it and spits out the stone! Weird but fun - and he's still alive!

I guess it explains why thrushes can do this and survive too.

Apparently the central stone contains cyanide but not the red fleshy surround.

[sezwa]

Someone else also told me this recently. I don't think I'll start eating them though [:'(] [:D]

[Pross1]

I have a book called "Food from the Wild" by Ian Burrows.

He quotes " All parts of the Yew tree are poisonous except for the fleshy aril, which is completely toxin free. Sweet and tasy, with a gelatinous texture, it can be eaten raw. The seed must not be chewed, although it is not dangerous if accidentally swallowed whole, since no toxins are relaeased."

[eatweeds]

I can confirm that eating the red aril around the Yew berry is very tasty. In fact it is one of the sweetest flavours I have come across in the wild.

However I wouldn't advise putting the whole berry in your mouth, simply remove the gel with your fingers and suck. I have no interest in testing fate!

Robin