The mysterious and rarely seen Butcher’s Broom, “Ruscus aculeatus,” is a low-growing permanent shrub.
It has hard, erect stems and very rigid leaves that lay off on a sharp spine. Thus, from the center of the leaves grow small greenish-white flowers. The flowers flourish in early spring and grow into red berries in autumn. The plant’s leaves are minuscule and nearly undetectable; they resemble microscopic scales on the cladodes.
The plant has an unusual appearance because of the tiny red berries that are carried on a short stalk that grows on the leaves. Butcher’s Broom belongs to the “Liliaceae” family and has a maximum height of 60 cm to 90 cm. Therefore, the Butcher’s Broom is not breaking any rules of the plant kingdom. Because what appears to be leaves are really modified stems called “cladodes”. They have been compressed to not only look like leaves but serve their function as well.
Butcher’s Broom is extensively distributed, from Iran to the Mediterranean and the southern United States. Butcher’s Broom has a long history of use in herbal medicine traditions as a diuretic and blood vessel toner. They have also been used for over two thousand years as laxatives and diuretics. It is also used to cure various ailments such as hemorrhoids, varicose veins, itching, deobstruent, aperient, and swelling.
The plant’s young shoots are also eaten, like those of asparagus. Butchers used to bundle the stiff twigs together and use them to wipe their cutting boards. Its public English name is Butcher’s Broom. It is also recognized by other names such as “Knee Holly”, because of its knee height, “Jew’s Myrtle”, for its use during the Feast of Tabernacles, “Sweet Broom” and “Pettigree”, although its meaning is not clear.
Furthermore, “Butcher’s Broom” is very hardy, thriving in almost any soil or situation. The tree is frequently planted in shrubberies or at the edges of woods because it remains green after the deciduous trees have shed their leaves. Moreover, extracts of butcher’s broom have been used throughout the ages. But the medicinal use of this plant did not become common until the last century.
Therefore, research in the 1950s specified that Butcher’s Broom could induce constriction of veins. Because of this, it is still widely used for treating definite circulatory diseases. It also covers an alkaloid that inhibits the passing of sodium ions across the cell membrane and thus is an effective anti-arrhythmic substance.
Also, butcher’s broom is widely planted in gardens, and its berries are used for decoration purposes. The primarily related phytochemical in the similarly named Scotch broom, “Cytisus scoparius” is sparteine, a cardiac depressant; use with great caution. Therefore, butcher’s broom is an exclusive and valuable plant in both horticulture and herbal medicine because of its rare botanical traits and therapeutic applications.
Also Read: The Cherries from the Orient
