Japanese name: ルスクス ヒポフィルム Scientific name:Ruscus hypophyllum
[Overview]
An evergreen subshrub about 70 cm tall.
It has an underground rhizome, and stems emerge from the axils of scales.
The leaves are alternate but reduced to small scales, and what look like leaves are cladodes, which are modified branches.
The cladodes are elliptic, 5–9 cm long, soft, and not needle-pointed at the tip.
A short raceme emerges from a scale-like bract on the midrib of the cladode.
The inflorescences appear on both surfaces of the cladode.
There are male and female flowers, both 7–8 mm across and pale green with 6 petals.
The 3 stamens are fused and form a purple staminal tube.
The fruit is a spherical berry 0.6–1.3 cm across, ripening red.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
For seed, take the seeds from fully ripe fruits and sow them immediately.
It prefers sun to partial shade and well-drained, moisture-retentive soil.
It tolerates shade and is also resistant to dryness.
