Kitchen Garden Forum

Hello
I've been asked to fell a mature yew tree and I remember Reading something about their use to manufacture cancer drugs. Anyone know of a company who collects them?
Thanks
James
http://swindonlandscaping.co.uk

At work we have supplied Friendship Estates with our Yew hedge clippings for many years.. http://www.friendshipestates.co.uk/yew- ... ction.html ....there may be others ??

In the early days of the scheme they had several grades that they collected...but more recently it has only been "one year’s growth from regularly clipped hedges or trees". July to September

The pharmaceutical product is "Taxotere" docetaxel....perhaps there may be other products now.??
http://www.taxotere.com/HCP_default.aspx

Previously there were other grades of Yew clippings and prunings sought after...such that we were once able to run the hedgecutter over branches that we lopped within the gardens and this fitted their second grade that they once collected.

A number of years ago we had 3 long established Yews reduced and we were able to trade on some side branches of between 1.5" and 3" diameter for use in wood turning to a local wood turning supplies merchant. It was not a fortune...but it meant that the wood was not wasted and it helped a bit towards paying for the tree surgeon. The trees were dismantled rather than clear felled over... It was interesting to learn that the smaller branches seemed to be more sought after for wood turning use. We did save as much as we could of all the wood as we are good friends with some local wood turning enthusiasts too...

2 of the 3 trees live on in a much reduced form and are coming back nicely at a size much more suitable to the buildings, walls and yard that they once totally over shadowed..

Clive.

You can make quite a decent long bow as well, from the right length branch.

As the others have mentioned it is the clippings that are useful to the drug companies.
I had to fell a three Yew's many years back and the trunks of two were sold to a veneer maker. It really depends on how large the clear log is. The third trunk was a bit gnarled and was sold to a person who made Yew coffee tables and other items he also bought the topwood logs.
JB.

In our case there were some larger trunk sections but their location with transport and also condition negated any value...they had been topped several times in the past to try keep them in size so were not fully clean grown trunks...they eventually went to be planked? via the local turning enthusiasts..

..and did the Claas telehandler put the lawn down in putting them over the fence.. .

Clive.

Might be sacrilege but it is the most amazing firewood.