It appears to be a shrub, but is actually a herbaceous perennial and what look like leaves are actually stems.
It can also be confused with the European Ruscus or butchers broom, but has a much more appealing, softer habit.
Although both are in the family Ruscaceae, Danae has a softer, more mounded form than Ruscus and lacks the sharp spines of its prickly relation.
Danae is grown primarily for its evergreen foliage.
The 60-120cm stems arch to meet the surrounding soil and in the Dunedin Botanic Garden's Rhododendron Dell have formed rounded clumps 2-3m across and about 60cm high.
The central cluster of main stems broadens very slowly, however, and the plants in the dell have taken over 25 years to reach that size, making Danae worthy of consideration for small gardens.
The leaf-like stems, or cladodes, are dark glossy green and grow from the main stems, which last two to three years before dying out.
In summer the tiny yellow-green flowers may well go unnoticed, but these are followed by a scattering of small orange-yellow berries in autumn.
See it growing on the Arboreum Walk under Rhododendron "Marquis of Lothian".
> Prefers light shade and free drainage.
> Well-suited to growing in containers.
> Virtually maintenance-free except for occasional removal of old stems.
> Said to be the laurel used in Greek and Roman times; sometimes called Alexandrian laurel.
> Native to Iran and West Asia.
Doug Thomson is curator of the Rhododendron Dell at the Dunedin Botanic Garden.
