A woody shrub? or tree? Solved: ground hemlock

[SwampDonkey]

Has red berries resembling pitted olives, stuffed with pamento.  Not quite the same taste. And probably not too good for your health. ;)

[Furby]

Not really sure what they are called, but my parents have them for a hedge line, just off the eaves in front of the house.

[SwampDonkey]

Its not juniper. The berries are fleshy on the plant above. ;)

[SwampDonkey]

This plant is harvested for an essential oil in cancer research.  

[slowzuki]

Sure looks like ground hemlock ;D

[SwampDonkey]

Yup, ground hemlock or Canada Yew Taxus canadensis

[slowzuki]

There have been ads in rural delivery lately by companies offering huge sums of money to people who will allow harvest of it on their land.  Someone wrote back giving some reasons this shouldn't be done on a large scale but I can't remember the reasons at the moment.  Anyone know?

[SwampDonkey]

The main reason is that some companies do not practice proper pruning techniques of this plant and over harvest it. Then whose to say once the sites are found that the harvestors don't go back and over harvest the shoots for another buyer. ;)

I know where there are several acreas in a continous plot, on a north facing slope, growing under hardwoods. Some of the stand is mature and other parts have been recently thinned (mainly yellow birch).

Most buyers are not paying huge sums of money, they are requiring huge amounts of tips for very modest pay. ;)