Butcher’s broom is a small evergreen shrub of the Mediterranean understorey, easily recognised by its rigid, prickly false leaves and striking red fruits.
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Division | Magnoliophyta |
| Class | Liliopsida |
| Order | Asparagales |
| Family | Asparagaceae |
| Genus | Ruscus |
| Species | Ruscus aculeatus |
It is a small shrub between 30 and 80 cm tall, dark green and evergreen in appearance. What look like leaves are in fact flattened stems called cladodes, oval in shape and ending in a rigid, very sharp point.
The flowers, tiny and greenish or lilac, grow directly on the cladode. After pollination they give rise to a round, bright red fruit, very eye-catching in autumn and winter.
It is native to Eurasia and North Africa, and very common in the understorey of Mediterranean holm oak, cork oak and pine woods, where it tolerates the deep shade of other trees well.
In many rural areas its spiny branches were gathered to protect chimneys and pantries from rodents, which is why it is also known as “brusco” or “jusbarba”. Its roots have traditionally been used in infusions for their venotonic properties.
