Ruscus Species, Butcher's Broom

Ruscushypoglossum

Genus
Ruscus (RUS-kus)
Species
hypoglossum (hy-poh-GLOSS-um)
Synonym
Platyruscus hypoglossum
Ruscus alexandrinus
Ruscus hypoglossum var. laticladodia
Ruscus hypophyllum var. hypoglossum
Ruscus troadensis
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Light Shade
Partial to Full Shade
Foliage
Grown for foliage
Evergreen
Smooth
Height
18-24 in. (45-60 cm)
Spacing
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Danger
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color
Pale Green
Chartreuse (yellow-green)
Bloom Time
Mid Spring
Late Spring/Early Summer
Other Details
Category
Shrubs
Water Requirements
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings
Foliage Color
Where to Grow
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
By dividing the rootball
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
Seed Collecting
Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, California

Thousand Oaks, California

Dunnellon, Florida

Wellborn, Florida

Austin, Texas

Munday, Texas

Sugar Land, Texas

Sammamish, Washington

show all

Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

2
positives
1
neutral
1
negative
Sort By:
Sort By:
L
Tomales, CA | September 2013 | positive

My experience was receiving a bouquet that contained ruscus hypoglossum (as I learned) for the green element. Very beautiful bluish-green...Read More

S
Bessemer City, NC | March 2012 | negative

This plant is vert poisonous to cats. my mom bought me a rose for valentines day and this was part of the foliage in with the rose and my...Read More

B
Austin, TX (Zone 8b) | May 2010 | positive

This plant can be traced back to the 1600s. The English peasants gathered it from the understory of the forests and sold it to butchers,...Read More

P
Acton, CA (Zone 8b) | December 2003 | neutral

This is an oddball plant so I of course got one for the garden.. it has itty bitty flowers in the middle of the leaves, which are themsel...Read More

Featured
Spicebush Swallowtail
(Papilio troilus)
American Robin
(Turdus migratorius)
Featured
Spicebush Swallowtail
(Papilio troilus)
American Robin
(Turdus migratorius)