Butcher's Broom (Ruscus aculeatus)

Pictures

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  Appearance

  The Butcher's Broom is a small shrub with shoots that look like leaves. Its berries contain saponine. Drugs based on Butcher's Broom are used to treat muscular cramps in the calf muscles, varicose veins and haemorrhoids.

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  Leaves

  Evergreen, spine-tipped flat shoots that look like leaves, approx. 2 cm long. The actual leaves are small, triangular and scaly.

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  Leaf upperside

  Evergreen, spine-tipped flat shoots that look like leaves, approx. 2 cm long. The actual leaves are small, triangular and scaly.

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  Leaf underside

  Evergreen, spine-tipped flat shoots that look like leaves, approx. 2 cm long. The actual leaves are small, triangular and scaly.

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  Flowers

  Flowering period: III to IV. Green flowers.

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  Fruits

  Round red, later black fruit.

Application

Open country, open fields, public areas, parks, urban areas, roadside verges, kitchen gardens, front gardens, container plants

Native regions

Mediterranean regions, Turkey

Location parameters

Light: off-sun to semi-shady; soil: fresh to moist; soil structure: heavy to normal; soil depth: shallow to very deep; humus concentration: low to high, pH value: moderately acid to slightly alkaline; nutrient concentration: low to high; soil: fresh to moist.

Demands

Urban climate: resistant; does not tolerate stagnant moisture and compaction.

Hardiness

down to 0 C°

Growth

Height of growth: 0.3 to 0.8 m. Dense, upright bushy shrub.

Leaves

Evergreen, spine-tipped flat shoots that look like leaves, approx. 2 cm long. The actual leaves are small, triangular and scaly.

Flowers

Flowering period: III to IV. Green flowers.

Fruits

Round red, later black fruit.