How to Grow and Care for Ruscus

Spineless butcher's-broom (Ruscus hypophyllum) is an evergreen shrub that is native to the Mediterranian region. It expands through a creeping root system, allowing it to become a widespread groundcover plant in just a few growing seasons. The flowers are unremarkable and will only on rare occasions fully mature into small red berries.

Butcher's-broom (Ruscus aculeatus) is a low-growing, dense evergreen shrub native to Eurasia and Africa. The specific epithet, "aculeatus," means "prickly," referring to the plant's spiky, toothed leaves, which are stiff to the touch. Though the butcher's-broom produces bright red berries, the seeds within rarely germinate, leaving the plant to usually reproduce via its underground rhizomes.

Though its Latin name, Ruscus hypoglossum, means "prickly plants," spineless butcher's broom is actually not a prickly variety. Its flowers and occasional red berries appear to grow from the center of its leaves but are actually emerging from leaf-like flattened stems called phylloclades.