Plant Details

Cephalotaxus fortunei

Chinese Plum Yew

Back

Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Cephalotaxus fortunei.

Use this plant

Log in to add this plant to your recipes.

Log in

Common names

15 names · 11 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Chinese cowtail pine[1]
  • Chinese Plum Yew
  • Chinese Plum-yew[1]
Other languages (10)
Dutch
  • Chinese knoptaxus
  • Zachte knoptaxus[1]
French
  • If du Japon
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 三尖杉[1]
  • 绿背三尖杉[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 緑背三尖杉[1]
Czech
  • hlavotis Fortuneův[1]
German
  • Fortunes Kopfeibe[1]
Japanese
  • トウイヌガヤ[1]
Polish
  • głowocis chiński[1]
Russian
  • Головчатотисс Форчуна[1]
Slovak
  • patis Fortuneov[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Cephalotaxus fortunei — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Chinese Plum-yew — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • Chinese cowtail pine — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • hlavotis Fortuneův — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • トウイヌガヤ — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • 三尖杉 — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • 绿背三尖杉 — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • 緑背三尖杉 — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • Fortunes Kopfeibe — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • Головчатотисс Форчуна — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • głowocis chiński — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • Zachte knoptaxus — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.
  • patis Fortuneov — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 136135; Cephalotaxus fortunei.

General information

Scientific name: Cephalotaxus fortunei
Accepted name (Kew): Cephalotaxus fortunei Hook. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Cephalotaxaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Cephalotaxus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Chinese Plum Yew

Plant characteristics

Layer: Nut tree, Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 6.00 m
Spread: 4.00 m
Growth rate: Fast
Foliage: Evergreen

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 6-9
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Shade, Partial shade

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit, Seed
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Hedge, Ground cover

Description

Fruit: this fruit is quite large, about 30mm x 15mm. There are not many details available, but it strongly resembles the fruit of the C. harringtonia plant, which can be eaten raw when ripe. In Great Britain, the fruit does not always fully ripen, and when it reaches full ripeness, it has an unpleasant, resinous taste that lingers in the mouth. It is possible that the seeds of this plant species are also edible.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/09
Harvest ends: 31/10

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1219129; name ID 382721; Cephalotaxus Siebold & Zucc. ex Endl.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1219136; name ID 382734; Cephalotaxus fortunei Hook..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Cephalotaxus fortunei

    Taxonomic data from WFO Pinopsida, version 2026-06 01, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 2019220, ID 69JRD: Cephalotaxus fortunei Hook. (accepted).

    Source checked on .