Ruscus plant named ‘Christmas Berry’

#Botanical designation: Ruscus aculeatus.

#Cultivar denomination: ‘Christmas Berry’.

#The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ruscus plant, botanically known as Ruscus aculeatus, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Christmas Berry’.

#The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Ruscus, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possibly to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ruscus.

#The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Christmas Berry’ grown in a container.

#The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical fruits of ‘Christmas Berry’.

#The new Ruscus has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

#The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 2-liter containers in Boskoop, The Netherlands, in an outdoor nursery and under commercial production practices. Plants used for the photographs and the description were about two years old. The photographs and description were taken during the fall with day temperatures ranging from 7° to 15° C. and night temperatures ranging from −4° C. to 8° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical classification: Ruscus aculeatus cultivar Christmas Berry. Parentage: Chance seedling from an open-pollination of unknown selections of Ruscus aculeatus. Propagation: Type.—By divisions. Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About eight months. Root description.—Thick, fleshy; white in color. Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. Plant description: Plant form.—Upright perennial evergreen shrub. Growth habit.—Moderate to low vigor. Freely basal branching; about ten stems per plant; dense and bushy growth habit. Plant height.—About 25 cm. Plant width (spread).—About 20.5 cm. Stem description.—Length: About 17.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 3.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 137A. Cladophyll description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple; sessile. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Elliptic to broadly ovate. Apex: Sharp mucronate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; leathery; glossy. Color: Developing cladophylls, upper and lower surfaces: 146A to 146B. Fully expanded cladophylls, upper and lower surfaces: 137A to 137B; venation, 137A to 137B. Flower description: Flower type and habit.—Inconspicuous single rotate flowers; situated on top of the cladophylls. Flowers not fragrant. Freely flowering, about 18 flowers per stem. Flowers not persistent. Flowers face mostly upright, about 45° from vertical. Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering; typically midsummer into the fall in The Netherlands. Longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant. Flower buds.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Globular. Color: 144C. Flowers.—Diameter: About 2 mm. Depth: About 2 mm. Inner perianth segments.—Quantity per flower: Three. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 0.8 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: Developing and fully expanded inner perianth segments, upper surface: 144B to 144C; towards the base, between 86A and N187A. Developing and fully expanded inner perianth segments, lower surface: 144B to 144C; towards the base, between 86A and N187A. Outer perianth segments.—Quantity per flower: Three. Length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: Developing and fully expanded outer perianth segments, upper surface: 144A to 144B. Developing and fully expanded outer perianth segments, lower surface: 144A to 144B. Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Orientation: Erect to about 5° from axis of cladophyll. Strength: Weak to moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B. Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About three. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 0.3 mm. Anther color: 145C to 145D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 145D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 0.3 mm. Stigma shape: Capitate. Stigma color: N186A. Style length: About 0.3 mm. Ovary color: N186A. Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Days to ripening: About two months. Type: Berry. Shape: Roughly spherical. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Texture: Smooth; glabrous; glossy. Color: Immature: 141B. Developing: N30A. Fully developed: 45A to 46B. Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About two. Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 165B. Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ruscus have not been observed to be resistant pathogens or pests common to Ruscus. Garden performance: Plants of the new Ruscus have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerate rain wind and temperatures ranging from −20° C. to 40° C.