Ruscus aculeatus

Butcher's Broom

Pictures of Butcher's Broom (Ruscus aculeatus)

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Common names

Butcher's Broom, Kneeholy, Knee Holly, Kneeholm, Jew's Myrtle, Sweet Broom

Scientific name

Ruscus aculeatus L.

Conservation status and threats

Not protected species in Bulgaria, but with some restriction.

Description and identification

Low evergreen Eurasian shrub, with flat shoots known as cladodes that give the appearance of stiff, spine-tipped leaves. Small greenish flowers appear in spring, and are borne singly in the centre of the cladodes. The female flowers are followed by a red berry, and the seeds are bird-distributed, but the plant also spreads vegetatively by means of rhizomes. Ruscus aculeatus occurs in woodlands and hedgerows, where it is tolerant of deep shade, and also on coastal cliffs. It is also widely planted in gardens, and has spread as a garden escape in many areas outside its native range. [Wikipedia].

Distribution in Bulgaria

In all floristic regions [Delipavlov et al., 2003].

Ruscus aculeatus на български

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