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Rush Broom Spartium junceum

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
SPAR-tee-um JUN-kee-um
Description

Spanish Broom, is a deciduous, flowering, perennial, shrub, multi-stemmed and sparsely-leaved, growing to 10 feet in height and width. Often grown as an ornamental because of its flowers, it is winter hardy and can be grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. It cannot grow in the shade. It has good drought tolerance as well as a tolerance for seaside exposure and can grow in poor rocky soils where it has been applied as a riverbank cover.

Spanish Broom is typically found in dry areas, open woodlands, disturbed sites, and along roads in the Mediterranean area. It is primarily grown for its bright yellow flowers and cylindrical green stems with flowers appearing in showy racemes. When the leaves fall away In late spring, summer shoots are covered in profuse fragrant yellow pea-like flowers. In late summer, seed pods mature and burst open, often with an audible crack, spreading seed from the parent plant.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No known insect or disease problems. It is aggressive due to self-seeding and has been known to escape gardens and naturalize.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#drought tolerant#shrub#high maintenance#erosion control#aggressive#flowering shrub#perennial
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#drought tolerant#shrub#high maintenance#erosion control#aggressive#flowering shrub#perennial
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Spartium
    Species:
    junceum
    Family:
    Fabaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    Has been used as a potent diuretic. Should be used with caution since large doses are likely to upset the stomach and cause purging.
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southwestern Europe, Mediterranean, and the Azores.
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    drought and salt tolerant
    Dimensions:
    Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Broad
    Erect
    Multi-stemmed
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil Drainage:
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Winter
    Fruit Type:
    Legume
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    Flowers are followed by flat seed pods (each to 3 inches long).
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Raceme
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Radial
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Fragrant bright yellow flowers that bloom from July to frost are borne in loose terminal racemes. Flowers to 1 inch long are pea-shaped and bloom from July to frost.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Linear
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Sparse, entire leaves, long slender green branchlets. Leaves to 1 inch long are bright green, small in size, quite sparse in number and ephemeral (each leaf lasts about 4 months).
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Cross Section:
    Round
    Stem Form:
    Zig Zags
    Stem Description:
    Young stems are rush-like, bright green and basically leafless. Older stems will develop a woody bark. Stems branch at the top. Considerable photosynthesis occurs in the young green stems.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Naturalized Area
    Landscape Theme:
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Design Feature:
    Flowering Tree
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Erosion
    Problems:
    Weedy