Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Shrubs

Ruscus aculeatus (f)

An evergreen shrub with a bushy, dense habit with stiff, upright stems that can grow up to 1m with a similar spread. It has dark green, leaf-like structures, ovate in shape coming to a sharp point, measuring up to 3cm length. It produces small, greenish-white flowers from March to May and female plants bear bright red berries in autumn and winter

Save to My plants

Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full shade
Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Asparagaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Ruscus are rhizomatous evergreen subshrubs with flattened, leaf-like cladophylls bearing small pale green flowers, followed on female or hermaphrodite plants by glossy red berries
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Will grow in almost any garden situation, except waterlogged ground, including dry shade

Propagation

Propagate by seed or division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance
Ground cover

Pruning

Cut out dead stems to the base in spring

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.