#common broom

#CYTISUS SCOPARIUS - COMMON BROOM - BESENGINSTER

Cytisus scoparius, Fabaceae

The multitude of small, yellow flowers of common broom, somewhat similar to those of gorse (Ulex europaeus), within the same family, have now given way to just as many dark seed pods: walk by this plant on a sunny day in this period and you will be able to hear them continuously cracking as they split open releasing the small seeds. This shrubby perennial native to Western and Central Europe is very hardy and quite common here in Scotland, where it often colonises sunny slopes forming dense colonies on well-draining acidic soil. It is very attractive to wildlife and often used as an ornamental plant, but it can quickly become invasive given the right conditions. Among all the plants of this species I’ve seen there was also one with orange spotted flowers, C. scoparius ‘Firefly’, one of the numerous cultivars developed.

Carmichaelia australis

Common Broom