Butcher’s Broom

(Ruscus aculeatus)

Butcher’s Broom (Ruscus aculeatus)

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Estimated Native Range
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Summary

Ruscus aculeatus, commonly known as Butcher’s Broom, is a low evergreen subshrub native to understory woodlands, scrub areas, and rocky slopes in the Mediterranean region, the Balkans, and the Middle East. It typically grows to a length of 80 cm (31 inches) and is characterized by its tough, green, leaf-like structures called cladodes, which are actually modified stems. Small greenish flowers emerge in spring, centrally within the cladodes, and are not particularly showy. Female plants produce a striking red berry, which adds to the plant’s ornamental value and persists through winter. The seeds are primarily bird-distributed, but the plant also propagates vegetatively via rhizomes.

Butcher’s Broom is valued for its attractive winter and spring color, as well as its ability to thrive in challenging conditions, including dry shade. It is often used in landscaping for ground cover, border planting, and as an underplanting in woodland gardens. It is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 9 and prefers part shade to full shade. The plant is adaptable to a range of soil types, provided they offer good drainage. It requires medium amounts of water, making it relatively low maintenance. Butcher’s Broom can be susceptible to leaf spot and root rot if grown in overly moist conditions. It is also known for its historical medicinal uses, particularly for improving circulation.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

  • Plant Type: Subshrub
  • Height: 2-3 feet
  • Width: 2-3 feet
  • Growth Rate: Slow
  • Flower Color: N/A
  • Flowering Season: Spring
  • Leaf Retention: Evergreen

Growth Requirements

  • Sun: Part Shade, Full Shade
  • Water: Medium
  • Drainage: Slow, Medium, Fast

Common Uses

Bank Stabilization, Drought Tolerant, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Groundcover, Hedges, Low Maintenance, Potted Plant, Rock Garden, Salt Tolerant, Street Planting

Natural Habitat

Understory woodlands, scrub areas, and rocky slopes in the Mediterranean region, the Balkans, and the Middle East

Other Names

Common Names: Box-Holly, Butcher’s-Broom, Petit Houx, Fragon Piquant, Stickmyrten

Scientific Names: , Ruscus aculeatus, Ruscus ponticus, Ruscus aculeatus var. angustifolius, Oxymyrsine pungens, Ruscus aculeatus f. pumilus, Ruscus aculeatus subsp. laxus, Ruscus aculeatus var. laxus, Ruscus dumosus, Ruscus flexuosus

GBIF Accepted Name: Ruscus aculeatus L.