Edible Fir vs. Toxic Yew

It’s almost conifer-tip season, that time of year when we can enjoy the tasty, Vitamin-C-rich, new growth of our needle-leaved trees. While all of our conifer trees are edible, PEI does have one poisonous, native conifer shrub. Can you tell which of the needles in the photo are tasty and which are toxic?

When it comes to conifer tips, White Spruce (Picea glauca) is the species most commonly used in the kitchen, as well as my personal favourite (you can find more details in the Wild Food Recipes section of this blog, and in my book, Wild Foods of PEI).

But Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) tips are pretty darn good, too, and I know many people who prefer them over spruce. However, if you want to harvest conifer tips, being able to tell the difference between our edible trees and the deadly Canada Yew (aka Ground Hemlock, Taxus canadensis) is essential. Fortunately, it’s not hard once you know what to look for.

White Spruce is unlikely to be confused with Canada Yew. Spruce needles are round – you can roll them between your fingers – whereas Yew needles are flat. The round-versus-flat theme extends to how the needles are arranged on the branches as well: Spruce branches look round, whereas Yew branches look flat.

But Balsam Fir has flat needles and branches that could be confused with Canada Yew at first glance. A closer look reveals a couple of easy-to-spot differences. First, as you can see in the photo, the needles of Canada Yew (left) have sharp, sword-like tips while those of Balsam Fir (right) are blunt. Just remember: avoid the sword.

Second, fir has two, parallel, white lines under each needle. These are rows of pores called ‘stomata’ that allow the plant to take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. (Yew has rows of stomata, too, but they’re green and so don’t stand out like those of Fir).

If you’re still not confident that you could tell Fir from Yew, use the tip I share in my workshops: harvest only from a tree – something with a larger, single, central stem – rather than a multi-stemmed shrub. Spruce and fir tips are tasty, seasonal treats from PEI Untamed!