Butcher’s broom, dots of red berries even in shade

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With its cute, well-formed leaves and bright red berries, Butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus) excels at filling in small shrub beds in shady areas.

Basic Butcher’s broom facts

Name – Ruscus aculeatus
Family – Asparagaceae
Type – bush

Height – 32 to 48 inches (80 to 120 cm)
Exposure – shade
Soil – cool

Foliage – evergreen

• All types of broom shrubs

Planting butcher’s broom

Equally good are spring and fall for specimens purchased in pots.

Follow our advice on planting shrubs.

Pruning butcher’s broom

No pruning is formally required, which isn’t to say it shouldn’t be done. If the shrub grows too large, you can cut it back during the dormant season when birds have finished picking the berries off.

Remove dead wood regularly.

Comments about Butcher’s broom

This little holly shrub, sometimes called knee-holly, strangely resembles holly by its size and the red berries that appear in fall and stay up to the end of winter.

It is very easy to care for and grow.

Native to Europe, it needs a relatively cool environment and thus is very well adapted to forest growth and shaded areas.

• Since it isn’t a very aggressive spreader, it serves well to replace invasive broom shrubs in ornamental gardens.
• Also makes a nice addition to mixed hedges and berry hedges, filling in lower portions if the one or the other shrub thins out at the bottom.