Cytisus scoparius
Common Name: Scotch broom
Type: Deciduous shrub (can be evergreen in warmer zones) Family: Papilionaceae Hardiness Zone: Hardy to zone 6 Sunlight: Full sun to part shade Exposure: Exposed or sheltered Soil: Any soil type Moisture: Average, can take summer drought Plant Height x Width: 3-10' x 10' Leaf: Green-ribbed branches are sparsely clad (but are often leafless), with small, alfalfa-like, trifoliate leaves Flower: Fragrant, sweet pea-shaped, bright yellow flowers, often showy bloom. Flowers are mostly solitary or in pairs. Bloom Time: Early spring until summer Bloom Size: Medium Maintenance: Should be considered invasive and taken out. Best to pull large plants out with broom puller and the rest by hand. If you need to cut it, do it just below the surface of the soil Landscape use: None Pest and Disease: None Native Range: Central and Southern Europe Propagation: Self-seeds Deer and Rabbit Tolerance: Deer and rabbit Comments: Plant releases phytotoxins which is a reason for its pervasiveness. The plant has been used for baskets, brooms, dyes, thatch |