COMMON NAME

Standardized: butcher's broom
Other: box holly

BOTANICAL NAME

Ruscus aculeatus L.
Plant Family: Liliaceae

OVERVIEW

Butcher's Broom is a low, shrubby, evergreen plant of the lily family. It is native to the Mediterranean, Southern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. At one time its stems were used to protect curing meats from rodents and to make brooms for butcher's stalls.

PARTS USED

The washed and dried root, chopped.

TYPICAL PREPARATIONS

Tea or extract. To make a tea from chopped root, place 1 teaspoon of the herb in a cup of boiling water and allow to steep in a closed teapot for 10 minutes. The teapot should not be heated. Strain before drinking.