PlantFiles: Broomtops, Common Broom, European Broom, Irish Broom, Scotch Broom
Cytisus scoparius

According to the experts in the field, the broom along the highways is NOT Scotch Brooom, but Spanish Broom, Sparteum junceum.
[HYPERLINK@www.nwcb.wa.gov]

I have had great success with Scotch Broom 'Moonlight', a pale yellow, not the harsh yellow of the Spanish broom, as well as a maroon colored one, of which I do not recall the variety name, The 'Moonlight' will produce a few seedlings, of which are easy to grow on in pots and put them where you want them to grow.

Now one person mentions not having a deer problem with this one, but the deer in this area don't eat it, but rub their antlers on it until it is almost destroyed, but not entirely. What I do is wait until it looks like they are finshed with it, as well as leaving all the plant leavings on the ground, and then when it starts to grow again, I remove all the remainders, and spray with deer repellant, and it regains its composure and grows for another year. This particular one, I have grown from a 2" pot. The first year it was pulled out of the ground at least a dozen times, either by raccoons or deer, but I keep putting it back in. Then I dicovered Liquid Fence, but if I don't spray in time, it will experience what I just mentioned all over again, but still survive. That plant tells me when the deer are back, and it is time to spray everything that is not behind the fence, which is primarily for my vegetable garden though I have borders around the edges by the fence.

The one I have up front, by the road, is a bit shaggy, as it gets "the deer treatment" as well, and only an iccasional watering, paired with a rosemary, but it is the one that produced a few babies, but I do not see them all over the place. This is the 'Moonlight" to which I am referring. Also the maroon one is inside the fence, on the edge of my "Dark Side Garden". The garnet-colored one or is it ruby-colored one is enclosed behind the fence. It has not produced any seedlings. It may be a hybrid.

3 years ago I planted 2 of these in my evergreen shrub bed in front of the house. They grew to 5' by 5' and completely fell forward covering lower growing shrubs. Their vivd yellow blooms are spectacular and beautifully set off my red azaleas and rhododendrons. I just cut them back to 2' by 2' .

They look pretty wretched right now. I'll see how they grow . If they continue to be so prolific, I may move them to a drier spot, or perhaps a shadier spot. Does anyone have a suggestion?

At another home I grew the burgundy variety which never reached this size and always maintained upright form. They have not produced any offspring, but they certainly have lots of seed pods.

Although this plant looks nice, we just spent a bundle having around 3 acres of it cleared by tractor. We are in the hills about an hr outside of sacramento and it seems to be growing ramped in these parts. Some of the plants that were cleared out had reached well over 8 ft. I can't wait to be rid of the stuff!

When I lived in southern Calif., we had a Scotch broom in the corner of our yard and it never spread! I was surprised to read it is considered a weed. It was so pretty when it came into bloom in the spring - very bright yellow and contrasted nicely with our two different-hued bougainvillea next to it. Maybe it was because it was in the corner - but we never had any trouble with it leavings its "boundaries."

The invasiveness of this plant cannot be overstated. It has spread all over Oregon, and if it's not on the Invasive Species List, it should be. It is also highly flammable. Do not plant this!

This plant has totally overgrown my lower 5 acres chocking out all native vegetation and the 100 douglas fir trees I planted. The property looks yellow on a satellite photograph. I have started to attack the plant with a chain saw. My neighbor mowed it down with a brush hog but the plants started sprouting back in one year. The odor and pollen covering everything is very annoying. Who likes a runny nose? Please do not plant any more of it in the Pacific Northwest.

On a recent visit to the Gulf Islands off British Columbia's coast, I was horrified to learn that, in addition to its relentless invasiveness, Scotch Broom emits a highly flammable gas. Botanists estimate that, if it ignited on Mayne Island, the fire would cross the entire island in 35 minutes !!
Does anyone know why it's so obnoxious on the West Coast, but so much better behaved on the East?

Have had two in West MD for about 6+ years and never had either spread.
Unfortunately this year the lovely kind of reddish/pink/burgundy one has died off and would love to get another.
Only problem I have had is they must have shallow roots as they need to be staked to keep from just dropping over at 6+ feet in height.

The comments almost exclusively show that this is a horror on the West Coast, and a pleasure on the East Coast. I'm in Colorado and planted two of these last year. I found them at Home Depot after I saw them in a neighbor's yard. They recently had a xeriscape designer redo their yard, so I assumed they were a good xeriscape plant for us. I guess time will tell.

I have one that blooms pink, for two years, it's confined in a big pot outside. No seeds was observed. Easy care, like more of them around the garden.

On Vancouver Island from a few plants planted by a scotchman we are now over run by this plant it will cost thousands if not millions to eradicate.The lucky person who discovers how to steralize this plant
will be rich!!!!!!Allergies are wicked in spring because of this plant it lasts till they finish blooming.Horribly invasive pretty to look at.

This stuff is bad...bad...bad!!! Here in Shelton, WA, it is everywhere. In the spring, everything turns yellow from the pollen. My car is yellow, my hot tub is yellow...everything turns yellow. And....everyone is this house sneezes for days...weeks...months. Home Depot is suppose to have some type of mechanical "puller" you can rent from them for the weekend that will pull it out for you to dispose of. Thought I would check this out this weekend. I have been told by the old timers around here that there just "ain't" no way to get rid of the evil stuff.

Scotch broom adds a yellow flash of color in our area which has an over abundent amount of white tailed deer who eat almost everything. The plant seems to survive milder winters better than cold ones, unless covered by much snow. Our growing zone here in NE PA is 5a and the broom plants tend to brown out on the tips. We cut them back hard after their bloom and have no problem with invasive spread.

We are east of the Cincinnati Ohio area and planted ours about 3 years ago. We liked it so much that we began to look for another. We have a couple of neighbors who would like one as well and they have been looking. Recently my husband talked with a local nursery owner who promised to do some research for us. We were told that it is listed as a noxious weed and therefor he is unable to obtain one for us. I was in the Cleveland area recently and my Aunt's neighbor has a beautiful yellow one in his garden. I will try to aquire a cutting from him on my next visit. I would like to start another plant from the one we currently have. Ours is a deep red in color and we do enjoy it. Do be careful when you cut yours back as it really does cause some nasty skin irritation I know this from personal experience.

This plant is growing on our empty lot in Lakebay, Washington. We are required by the homeowners association to eradicate it from along the side of the road. I understand from a Lakebay neighbor that it comes back every year. He suggested cutting it down while it is in bloom--said that would kill it and keep it from coming back. I'm doubtful--anybody out there have success at this? It's spread on several acres, and I don't want to go to all that work if it's just going to come back.

Scotct Broom is an Invasive Plant, and one that, alas, grows all too freely in Washington state.

This is one flower that needs to be wiped out.

I just bought one "Lena's Broom" (Cytisus x 'Lena') WEED (so you say! ha) yesterday for $24.99 here in Austin, Texas!!! Boy, was I suckered, huh? I'm looking for things that deer don't eat and was told they don't like this as it's poisonous. It's quite large and I also liked the spikey look...I have a mid-century house and am trying to do a "modern" garden. I bought one of each of about 10 different plants to set them in the garden and see how they look before buying more. Anyone want to send me some old rooted out broom plants and save me lots of $$$? ha (My plant...still in the pot...is blooming with a beautiful orange-red...and fits with my color scheme: orange, purple, green and chartreuse. Will our 105 degree heat in August kill it??

I have three in Atlanta - not at all invasive - I've had the three or four years and never pulled a seedling. That said - they tend to lean a bit too much from the wind so I put in a central stake and try to keep them more upright. Very pretty plants.

I have three of the rose colored scotch broom plants growing on the south side of my house. In the Pittsburgh area it is an uncommon plant and not at all invasive. I really like mine. Two years ago, I planted my first three. They all died. I planted three more last year and two survived a rather mild winter. One did not make it . I will replace it. So far, so good in the Northeast!

In the Upstate of South Carolina, Scotchbroom is a great plant. While it will reseed itself, it also only lives a few years, so it never becomes invasive. It may wander a bit, though. In the spring when the azaleas and dogwoods are blooming, it gives a spot of yellow in all the pinks. The foliage is a beautiful shade of green year-round. I also like the shape of the plant--very airy-looking with the long arching branches. It doesn't seem to tolerate the heat in the lower part of the state where I am now so I miss it. It has long been a favorite of mine.

Like others in the west I fight this pest constantly. Only thing I can think of that's worse is Gorse! The seeds seem to be dormant forever and then there it is again. Have not found anything to kill it except keep pulling.

You can't understand quite what a menace this plant is until you've spent days 'pulling' it out by it's tenacious roots on a volunteer basis. My blistered hands and sore back will tell you that planting Scotch Broom in California is a crime against nature.

This plant is a weed and always has some green catipilars eating at it. One time i found the whole bush had those green eating bugs! And teh catipilars spread to the rest of my garden, NO GOOD! Please dont plant this, you will be very very sorry.

I'm on the central coast of California and have planted one several years ago. It adds a bright note to the entrance of my estate and has been no problem at all. It is surrounded by ice plant and both seem to happily co-exist. A neighboring steer seems to enjoy eating it. I recently trimmed it and suffered no problems. As far as invasiveness, a seed will occasionally be dropped by a bird and grow, but that is a minor concern. I guess it is a plant that, if put in the wrong environment, will be a bother, but otherwise is great!

I've grown it both here and in Southern California and never had a problem with it except that snails adore this plant! My plants have always stayed in place and not renewed elsewhere.

This seems to do well on the East Coast without becoming invasive. I believe there are different varieties with the nursery ones here being much different than those found in the West. I have one with white flowers and one with reddish violet flowers. No problems to report and no seedlings either.

I echo the comments of others. Do not be beguiled by this plants beauty or ease of growth! It will consume everything it encounters and wreak havoc like a wildfire on everything in its path. Its prolific capacity to produce long-lived seeds and its lack of any biological predators in this nonnative North American environment allows it to stomp out all native and wildlife-friendly vegetation and to become a decidely unfriendly invader. Best viewed in its homeland, not on this side of the ocean! I spend the better part of many weekends trying to stem its assault on my mountain.

This plant is also a "weed" here in Oregon, both on the coast and along the I-5 corridor. Am not sure about East of the Cascade Mountains. It is especially worrisome because it is highly flammable. Would not recommend it for anyone on the West Coast.

One of the plants I most miss being able to grow in Maine. I remember them from the Northumberland countryside..

This is a huge weed in the Gulf Islands (Z8) of Victoria B.C. The only way to get rid of it is to pull all seedlings every year for several years (until there are no more seedlings). Getting rid of older plants can be accomplished, but takes a lot more work. On our Island, they have "broom bash" outings to pull the seedlings and take out the older plants.

I grew this from seed this year..I can't see it's invasiveness yet. It's a slow grower. I have also never seen one in PA...at least not in my area. Invasive is good for me! LOL

Back in the 1800’s a homesick Scotsman imported a few broom seeds from his birthplace to Sooke in British Columbia. They didn’t make it, so he obtained 5 more from Hawaii (The Sandwich islands back then), where broom had been introduced years before. Alas, they did take and Vancouver Island is now rapidly being taken over by the plant. As I drive around I see fields of yellow anywhere there is a gap in the forest or on the sides of the roads.

There is little positive to say about Scotch broom. It is extremely invasive. It changes the chemical content of the soil so that indigenous plants are “starved” out. It does not support local insects such as butterflies or moths. When I moved here 18 years ago both the Red Admiral and Painted Lady were commonplace. Now I have seen neither in over three years.

I have no idea when, or even if, we can get rid of this obnoxious weed. It even chokes out blackberry and English ivy . . . two more “immigrants” to the PNW. If anyone out has any suggestion on how to eradicate our problem . . . I would be most grateful to hear from them.

Peter – Victoria, BC, Canada

Just bought my Scotch Broom plant and after reading all the comments about this plant I am worried? I have terrible allergies but drove around with two of these plants in my car in the hot 90 degree sun and had not problems at all. I hope mine do spead as I am not putting them in my flower garden but by my fish pond. Would like to see a big nice heap of yellow flowers and sure hope my cats don't eat them!

When I lived in a redwood canyon in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California many years ago this was just about the only plant that would grow under the redwood trees, besides the native ferns, so we valued the small green clumps that clung to the steep hillsides, and gave us a touch of bright yellow color in all that dark and rainy gloom. However, many people who lived out in the sun just hated this plant, as it was so invasive, and while out driving in my car I could see whole hillsides just covered with it, so I wouldn't advise planting any variety of it in a garden.

Edgewood, Washington
This has to be in the top ten of most obnoxious weeds ever introduced to the world of home gardening. It has taken over 100's & 1,000's of acres in Washington state. The state had planted it in the median of Interstate 5 many years ago to be the "golden highway". It is now a pain to remove, as it has taken over the countryside. Willing to bet the majority of people hate it with a passion. It will leave you with itchy eyes and running noses in the Spring when it is in bloom. DO NOT PLANT this evil weed anywhere!

Here on the east coast, I love this plant, although my husband thinks it looks like a big weed (turns out that it is - in the west). After a couple of years, the bottom branches die and are difficult to remove. I've since read that, to prevent this, you should trim and shape it after it flowers. Mine started looking so bad that I had to dig it up.

Where I live on the East Coast, we don't have any problems with it naturalizing, so we can grow it without worry. In fact, I have been trying unsuccessfully to grow it from seed. (Go figure!) But a nursery bought plant, once planted, will grow unattended in poor soil and produce beautiful flowers, generally found in varying shades of yellow or rusty red. I love my scotch broom. It's one of my favorite plants since it grows well in my clay soil and is evergreen.

In Washington State, the yellow one is a notoriously bad character, as well. There ARE ornamental varieties in the greenhouses, such as the white one pictured here. I don't know, but would suspect that those ornamental relatives are not as invasive.

When I grew this plant in Reno, Nevada I loved it. Protected on a wall it was pretty. However, in much of California, this is a rank weed, albeit a beautiful one, which takes over entire hillsides and crowds out native plants and natural forage for wild life. It is also a fire hazard when dry. Self seeds amazingly well.