Scotch Broom Cytisus scoparius
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Scotch Broom:
- Phonetic Spelling
- sy-TIS-us sko-PAIR-ee-us
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Drought and salt tolerant rapidly growing shrub with rather broom-like appearance. Overgrown plants can be severely pruned but avoid cutting into oldest stems. Can provide good erosion control on hills.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect problems. Susceptible to leaf and stem blight. It is a short-lived shrub but tends to reseed itself. It can be weedy and rapidly grow to crowd out native plants. If plants are unwanted, pull them before they flower and set seed. Some non-seeding cultivars are available.
Quick ID Hints:
- Pea-like flowers in late spring along green stems
- Leaves trifoliate on lower stem, one leaflet on upper stem
- Stems have 'twizzler stick' appearance
- Twiggy, mounded shrub with arching stems
- Flowers yellow, or red, pink hues
Deciduous shrub to 6.5', arching and broad-rounded.
Blooms in late spring to early summer; cultivated for floral state which lasts 1-2 weeks, otherwise looks like dead, arching twigs; leaves usually gone by mid-June; stem more grooved and twisted than C. X praecox and usually blooms later and is usually a larger plant; there are also pink and crimson cultivars.
Tolerates poor soils, shade; rapid growth; relatively pest-free.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Moonlight'
- 'Moonlight'
- 'Moonlight'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Moonlight'
- 'Moonlight'
- 'Moonlight'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cytisus
- Species:
- scoparius
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe
- Dimensions:
- Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Erect
- Open
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is a flattened pea-like green pod with hairy margins. A legume, hairy along the margins, 2".
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 1 in. glowing, golden yellow sweet pea shaped flowers in late spring on old wood. Some cultivars have red, pink, or gold flowers. Rich yellow, pea-like, axillary, 1/2-3/4" dia.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Obovate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, trifoliate, bright to medium green leaves; non-showy fall color. Alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets obovate or lanceolate, ca 1/4"; upper leaves missing 2 leaflets.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Slender 4-angled grass-green erect stems. Slender, green, ridged and twisted; older stems brownish.
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Landscape:
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Poor Soil
- Salt
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
