[HPforGrownups] YEW

[digger]

No: HPFGUIDX 87241

sydenmill at msn.com wrote:


> 
> I am wondering what the significance of YEW is beyond the fact that
> Voldemort's wand is made of it for JKR to make such a point of
> mentioning it so often. Does anyone have a theory?
> 
>
> 
> Thought-provokingly yours (I hope),
> Bohcoo

digger:

(I am speaking of English traditions here)
Yew being poisonous to animals, it was always planted in churchyards, 
which were enclosed, and so impervious to local browsing livestock. Yew 
trees were planted to provide bow-wood for making long-bows, which was 
used extensively by the medieval English army, with great sucess against 
the French. Target practise was the only 'sport' permitted in the middle 
ages on Sundays. Yew is also incredibly long-lived. Some live examples 
are well over 1500 years old, some in Wales maybe even 2000 or more by 
repute.