Conditions for obtaining an efficient mass propagation procedure to overcome isolated Taxus baccata embryo dormancy were investigated. The protocol herein described was efficient for overcoming the dormancy of T. baccata isolated embryos under in vitro conditions, enabling the conservation and propagation of this species. T. baccata seeds were unable to germinate directly after collection under in vitro conditions. Very good sterility and germination was achieved by soaking seeds in distilled water at a low temperature ( 4°C) at least for 48 h instead of leaching them for 7 d under running water, followed by maintaining isolated embryos on the Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with 5 g l⁻¹ activated charcoal. That treatment allowed one to shorten the time of the experiment and gave almost 100% sterility. The best germination was observed in darkness, but to obtain worthy seedlings, it was necessary to place cultures in a 16-h photoperiod after a 2-wk incubation. There was no significant difference in germination between seeds collected from different populations of Southern Poland.