Hicks Yew-Eat with CAUTION!

IF YOU EAT THIS WRONG, IT WILL KILL YOU!

There we go, I'm glad I got your attention. Hicks Yew trees, Yew varieties of all types, are lovely evergreens which pop up with cute red "berries" every year in the fall. The plant, although used as a very common landscape statement, is actually one of the most deadly plants in that (nearly) every part of the plant contains high amounts of cardiotoxic taxine alkaloids. If you didn't understand that, basically if you eat any part of the plant except for what I tell you in the following paragraph you will die of heart failure extremely quickly. I know of no antidote. So just don't experiment with it. Don't try it. I don't want you to die.


Okay, now on to the fun part.

The part you can eat are the little red "berries" that grow in the fall. The berries are actually called arils, and they are very fleshy with a single seed in each. Much like a cherry, it is not safe to eat the "pit" of this fruit. Just two will kill a horse, and although humans are not as susceptible as horses to the toxins in the seeds, it is better safe than sorry. So always spit out the seeds. This is probably a good time to note that this is not a good plant to have with children around who would not consistently spit the seeds.

The flesh of the aril is very sticky and has a mild sweetness to it. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked into a jelly. When eating, be sure to not chomp on the seed as that will release some of the toxins. That won't be enough to hurt an adult so long as you spit it out right away and rinse your mouth (or rather shouldn't be enough), but if you accidentally get a taste of the seed it is best to avoid eating them for a couple days to make sure you keep very limited amounts of toxins in your body at any given time.  The same concept applies to when cooking into a jelly. Do not crush the arils with anything hard enough to also crush the seeds.

Why is all of this work and carefulness worth the effort? The arils have a very unique sweetness and sticky texture that, although not for everyone, can be very pleasing. The fruit is filled with nutrients, and some even call it a super food. And frankly, the little arils are so plentiful, they are an extremely easy fruit to eat right off the branch. And if you are eating with your friends your can have a seed spitting contest. :)

Callery or Bradford Pear

The Callery Pear Tree or Bradford Pear Tree (note that these two are actually different types of trees with very similar characteristics) is considered a common nuisance by landscapers, and many consider the tree to be hazardous to native species across the US. But the tree does have a redeeming factor... its fruit! Wait until the fruit turns a dark brown or even black color, pick, and eat. The color change usually happens in the late fall or early winter as the weather changes to a much colder climate. You'll know they are ready if they are extremely soft, turning to mush easily with just a little pressure.

What do they taste like? Well like tamarinds. But of course I'm guessing most people living in the Provo, Utah area have never tasted tamarind. The miniature pears taste like a cross between dates and figs, with a pleasant sour quality. They are very sweet, which lends them to easy use as a jam. I don't even add sugar or boil them, I just smash them up with a spoon and use it as a thick spread. Because of their closeness in flavor to tamarinds, they can easily be used as a substitute for tamarind paste in any recipe.

I have heard of other uses myself, such as turning into jelly when they aren't yet ripe, or making juice by boiling and diluting with water. But as for me, I like to eat them right off the tree just as they are. There seem to be fewer ready-to-eat foraged foods this time of year, and it's nice to have something easy to munch on while walking to class.