Leaf
Pierre Bonnet, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Butcher's broom
Ruscus aculeatus L.
Family: Asparagaceae
0.3 to 0.8 m tall
Woodland, shady hedges, gardens, all soils
Flowering: February – April
Shade
Part shade
Hardy to -15°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
What look like spiny leaves are in fact flattened stems: the true leaves are reduced to tiny scales.
🍃 Leaves
Actually flattened stems (cladodes) mimicking spiny leaves, evergreen, glossy dark green
🌸 Flowers
Tiny greenish flowers borne in the centre of the cladodes
🍎 Fruits
Large red berries about 1 cm across, borne in the centre of the cladodes, decorative in winter (on female plants).
🪵 Bark
Upright dark green stems, bushy habit
🗺️ Distribution
Southern and western Europe, North Africa; found in dry woodland in the south and west of France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Tiny flowers borne on the false leaves (cladodes), not very nectar-rich, pollinated mainly by small insects.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted in dry shade for its evergreen foliage and red winter berries.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Berries slightly toxic if eaten, and may cause digestive upset.
🌿 Other Asparagaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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