Ruscus grows best in moderately warm to cooler shady wooded areas and adds color to awoodland garden.
The plant can thrive in partial to full shade and needs well-drained soil on the acidic side.
If it gets too much sun in hot weather, the color may fade.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Soil
This plant is tolerant of many soil types, including clay oralkaline soils.
Its preferred soil culture is a well-drained, slightly acidic sandy loam.
It does not do well in wet soils as this can cause the roots to rot over time.
The bright red berries of ruscus grow in clusters or singly and remain through wintertekindurkdogan / Getty Images
Temperature and Humidity
Ruscus is generally only cold-hardy to zone 6 in the United States.
With winter protection and mulch, you may be able to grow ruscus in zone 5.
Ruscus enjoys warm temperatures and does fine in humidity.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Pruning
Ruscus is a slow-growing, well-shaped perennial that doesn’t require much pruning.
Damaged branches or leaves should be trimmed as needed.
Cut dead shoots to ground level in spring.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
you could use healthy pruned stems for stem cuttings.
The best time to propagate by a cutting is midsummer to mid-autumn.
Ruscus germination is extremely slow; it can take up to 12 months.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
The only pest problem to watch for is slug damage on young plants.
Slugs will leave them alone once they mature and grow a prickly surface.
What Do Ruscus Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The tiny greenish-white flowers are about 1/16-inch in size.
Harsh sun and hot weather will also dry out the plant and negatively affect blooms.
Otherwise, you won’t have to do much to encourage a ruscus plant to bloom.
Deadheading Ruscus Flowers
Cut back stems with dead flowers on them to the ground in the spring.
No other deadheading is required.
The plant may also drop leaves if it is overwatered.
Continuing to overwater the plant may lead toroot rot.
Wilting
A ruscus plant that is wilting is likely underwatered.
The plant most similar to a ruscus is a holly.
Ruscus is not at all difficult to grow outdoors.
It is also a great plant to grow indoors since its light requirements are minimal.
Keep in mind that it is a prickly plant so place it away from casual contact.
The success rate of rooting from a stem is challenging but possible.
To increase rooting success, use a rooting hormone and remove the bottom leaves from the stem.
Use a well-draining, compost-enriched potting soil.
Also, give the plant a greenhouse-like increased humidity environment to encourage root growth.
