... and the underworld

In this area between Goldstein and Feldstein, the Bruchhauser Steine Foundation planted several yew trees in 2000. Their dark green needles and the brown seeds of the red berries are highly poisonous. It is very shady under the yew’s needle canopy, making it difficult for other plants to thrive underneath. This is probably why the yew tree has always been associated with the underworld and death: In ancient Rome, the yew was considered a tree that guarded the underworld. The ancient Greeks also saw the yew tree as a gateway to the underworld and as a guardian of souls. By the way, they are very long-lived sentinels: they can live for over 1,000 years. Today, yews are widespread in England and Germany, especially in cemeteries.