Ruscus comprises rhizomatous evergreen subshrubs characterized by flattened, leaf-like cladophylls. These plants produce small pale green flowers, which are succeeded by glossy red berries on female or hermaphrodite specimens.

Ruscus

Ruscus aculeatus is a dense sub-shrub that reaches up to 75 cm in height. It features glossy, lanceolate cladophylls measuring about 2.5 cm long. This plant produces flowers in the spring, followed by bright red berries on female specimens during the summer and autumn months.

Ruscus aculeatus

Ruscus aculeatus 'Christmas Berry'

This is a compact, dwarf variety of the British native Ruscus aculeatus. The plant features flattened shoots called cladophylls, which are adorned with a sharp spine. Bright red berries appear from late summer onward.

Ruscus aculeatus 'John Redmond'PBR (f/m)

Ruscus aculeatus 'Sparkler'

Ruscus aculeatus 'Wheeler's Variety' (f/m)

Ruscus aculeatus is a perennial shrub characterized by its dense, bushy growth and rigid, upright stems that can reach heights of up to 1 meter with an equal spread. The plant features dark green, leaf-like branches that are ovate and taper to a sharp point, measuring as much as 3 centimeters in length. From March to May, it produces small, greenish-white flowers, and female specimens yield bright red berries during the autumn and winter months.

Ruscus aculeatus (f)

Ruscus aculeatus (m)

Ruscus aculeatus andromonoecious

Ruscus aculeatus f. verticillata

Ruscus aculeatus from Sicily

Ruscus aculeatus from Slovenia

Ruscus aculeatus hermaphrodite is a compact evergreen shrub that features both male and female flowers on a single specimen, eliminating the need for multiple plants to yield its shiny, round, red berries. The small, pale green flowers emerge directly from the dark green, leathery cladophylls, which are flattened stems equipped with a sharp spine at their apex.

Ruscus aculeatus hermaphrodite

Ruscus aculeatus var. aculeatus

This evergreen shrub grows in dense clumps, typically reaching a height of about 1 meter. Its flexible stems support elongated, narrow, pointed green structures known as cladodes, which serve the purpose of leaves. During the flowering phase, small, greenish, star-shaped blooms appear, often giving way to bright red, berry-like fruits.

Ruscus aculeatus var. aculeatus 'Lanceolatus' (f)

Ruscus aculeatus var. angustifolius

Ruscus aculeatus var. angustifolius (f)

Ruscus aculeatus var. angustifolius andromonoecious

Ruscus aculeatus var. leichtlinii

Ruscus aculeatus var. platyphyllus

Ruscus colchicus

Ruscus colchicus 'Trabzon'

Ruscus colchicus from Abkhazia

Ruscus colchicus from Russia

Ruscus colchicus from Sochi, Russia

Ruscus hypoglossum is a small, evergreen shrub that typically reaches a height of about 50 cm. It develops dense clumps of arching stems adorned with pointed, glossy, bright green cladodes, which are modified, flattened shoots functioning as leaves. In spring, tiny greenish-cream flowers appear on the cladodes, potentially giving way to vibrant red berries in the summer.

Ruscus hypoglossum

Ruscus hypoglossum 'Irene Angel'

Ruscus hypoglossum from Italy

Ruscus hypophyllum is a compact evergreen shrub that reaches heights and widths of up to 60 cm. It develops dense clumps of upright, unbranched stems, featuring dark green, pointed, leaf-like structures called cladodes. In spring, tiny flowers appear on the upper or lower surfaces of the cladodes, which may be succeeded by small red berries.

Ruscus hypophyllum

Ruscus hypophyllum 'Spider'

Ruscus hypophyllum f. crispatus

Ruscus hypophyllum from Italy

Ruscus hypophyllum from Sicily

Ruscus hypophyllum from Spain

Ruscus hypophyllum latifolius

Ruscus hyrcanus

Ruscus streptophyllus is a perennial shrub that typically grows up to 60 cm in height. Its stems are unbranched and can be either upright or arching. The plant features flattened, leaf-like structures known as cladodes, which can reach lengths of up to 18 cm and have a broadly elliptic to lanceolate shape with a twisted base. Small flowers, ranging from white to deep purple, emerge from the cladodes and can give way to red, berry-like fruits.