In the old days they must have grown everywhere; tisa is a surprisingly stubborn tree. Nowadays I mostly seem to find them in places where commercial exploitation of the forests never took place. This usually entails steep inaccessible terrain. I found some in a gorge like tributary of Kolpa (quite close to the water, actually) and in and under some steep cliff like overhangs. Conifers, mixed forest... it doesn't seem to mind. But most of the time it's too twisted. And I have a really hard time deciding to cut such a rare (I hear it's almost extinct) and beautiful tree. Maybe a branch or two.
Now that I think about it, I found most of them pretty much in places where chamois live. I believe that would be "dvikoza" in Croatia.
You should try looking for places that have "tisa" in their name. Old people tend to know where they grow too.
Also, somewhat hilariously, in front of a kindergarten playground in my hometown.
I guess the really small kids know not to eat those berries with seeds in them or something.
It's really large and straight with many thick enough offshoots and nice straight fat branches. Really healthy looking too. But it's right under a surveillance camera and in the field of view of a few other cameras. With many people around almost all the time (including 3 a.m.)
One of the branches is disturbing a walkway and the entire tree is blocking a streetlamp. I'm waiting for the town decided to cut that obtrusive branch; I'll be the first begging for it. Otherwise they'll probably just grind it up for fire pellets or something.
