Geograph - photograph every grid square

A tiny juvenile Common Yew, naturally seeded in Bourne Woods.

Yew grow slowly, and in 100 years this will be a fine specimen, taller than me. In 500 years it will be a noble thing, 10 to 20 metres tall, thick- trunked and vigorous. In a thousand years it will be as close to fully grown as Yews get, the trunk dividing and fresh new trunks forming in a cluster. Undisturbed it could make 3000 years, a circular woodland of joined, genetically identical trees, a thicket by itself. As to 5000 years, it's not impossible.