Composting a Yew tree/bush - poisonous?

[finchy]

Cut one massive blighter down, shredded it, and mixed it with a load of other shreddings composting down, only to then be told by a neighbour that the Yew is poisonous!

Have I ruined the compost that I was making for my veggie patch?

[SMP1704]

It is poisonous if eaten but was also regarded as a spirtual tree with healing powers ???

You'll need to wait for an expert to come along, but I don't think that the toxins would persist through the composting process.

[Eristic]

It rather depends on just how much compost you intend to eat.

[Robert_Brenchley]

The poison is Taxine, an alkaloid. No doubt it would break down during composting, but someone out there may know more than I do.