This weekend I cut down a couple of large yew bushes in my front yard that had grown out of control over the past few years. Most of the branches got bundled or bagged and put out on the curb for the yard waste collection, but I have quite a few large branches that are about 1 1/2" to 2" in diameter and I thought that I could throw them on the woodpile and use them for kindling in the fireplace. The problem is, I don’t know if yew is an appropriate wood to burn in a fireplace. I’m mostly concerned about creosote buildup in the chimney. Will it be OK to burn this stuff or should I just toss the branches in the trash?
Don’t burn me, bro!
This site says that Yew has a slow burn with a great heat and a pleasant scent.
http://www.tandjwhite.com/wood.html
This site also advocates Yew burning. (It was weird to type those last three words.)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/99207/what_to_look_for_when_buying_firewood.html
I burning yew dog!
Better yew than ewe.
The leaves, seeds and bark of some can be poisonous, but an old saw says yew is excellent for heating. As long as you’re just using the larger branches, especially if they’ve been stripped of bark, you should be alright.
I burning yew log!
In my experience, the twiggy bits with needles will give yew a lot of creosote in yaw chimney.
Ideally you should air dry the logs outside for a year before burning.
Yes, I was definitely planning on letting it season for a year before using it. I guess I should have mentioned that. I’ve got a pile with some pinoak limbs that I cut down earlier this year and can throw the yew in that pile for next winter.
For this winter I’ve got some wood from a maple tree that we lost in a windstorm a year ago August - it should be nice and seasoned and ready to burn by now.
I kind of wondered how long it would take for that response to show up. Thanks for not disappointing! 
I envy anyone that’s got pin oak and maple… yew too.
From what I understand it does take a fair bit of existing heat to get yew burning, even seasoned yew. Sounds like you’ll have far better luck using yew to keep the fires burning, rather than as a starter mechanism. And of course with the Taxol and everything they say heat with it but no BBQ’n.
Silence! I keel yew!
Teh win!
If burning yew is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
Can I burn yew in my fireplace?
Naw! :eek: