Ruscus aculeatus seeds grow into the butcher's broom — a low, erect, evergreen subshrub native to the temperate biome of the Mediterranean basin, south-western and western Europe and the Canary Islands, growing in shaded woodland understory, scrub and forest margins. Described by L. (Linnaeus). The epithet aculeatus means 'spiny' or 'prickly' (from Latin aculeus = spine), referring to the spine-tipped cladodes. The name 'butcher's broom' comes from the historical use of bundles of the stiff, spiny stems by butchers to scrub chopping blocks. One of the finest shade plants: the apparent 'leaves' are actually cladodes — modified, flattened stem segments — with the small, green flowers and later ornamental bright red berries appearing directly from the centre of each cladode. NOTE: plants are either male or female; both sexes are needed for berries (exception: the 'Wheeler' cultivar is hermaphrodite). Family Asparagaceae.Deep shade to partial shade; tolerates very dry, poor soils; cold-hardy. Outstanding for deep, dry shade under trees. Both sexes needed for berries. 'Aculeatus' = spiny (spine-tipped cladodes); L.; butcher's broom = used to scrub butchers' chopping blocks 'Leaves' are cladodes; berries on female plants only; BOTH SEXES needed for berries (except 'Wheeler' cultivar) Mediterranean, SW. Europe, Canary Islands — temperate biome; shaded woodland understory and forest margins Genus Ruscus: ~6 species; Mediterranean and W. Asia; Family Asparagaceae (Nolinoideae); Order Asparagales Deep to partial shade; very dry poor soils; cold-hardy; both sexes for berries; outstanding shade plant; Asparagaceae Ruscus aculeatus — the butcher's broom — is one of the finest plants in the gardener's palette for deep, dry shade under trees: virtually nothing else will grow and fruit in such extreme shade and drought conditions; its cladodes (not true leaves) and red berries (on female plants, when males are also present) make it uniquely ornamental year-round in the most difficult positions.IMPORTANT: Pictures show the adult plant, which is not for sale. The offer is only for seeds.
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