Ruscus aculeatus L. (Butcher’s broom)

Ruscus aculeatus L. – (Butcher’s broom)

It’s a perennial shrub from The Lilly family -Liliaceae- from 25 to 100 cm tall, which can be seen in its male or female form as two separated plants.Both of them have smooth, round,dark-green stems. We can hardly see its leaves and what might be taken as leaves are,in fact, the cladodes, some modified stems, ovate -lanceolate, ending with a sharp little spine. Flowers are greenish and little conspicuous. Female flowers are provided with six lobes, being the inner three smaller than the outer ones. Male flowers have joined the three stamens.The most outstanding, appealing part of the plant is the fruit; a round red berry, from 10 to 123 cm in diameter.When completely grown, it looks like a little ball stuck in the middle of the “false leaf”. It has been widely planted in gardens. In woods or hedges