Scotch Broom

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Click on the photo for a larger image.

(Cytisus scoparius)

An ornamental shrub-like plant. Other traits:

• A woody perennial shrub-like species.
• Can grow to 10 feet tall.
• In the pea family, it has leaves similar to alfalfa (groups of three).
• Stems are angled, dark green with many branches that spread only slightly from the main stem.
• Flowers are pea-like and bright yellow; typically blooms in June.
• Seed pods resemble pea pods, which snap open at maturity and throw seeds for some distance.
• This plant is now widespread along coastal areas and has been found in Bonner and Kootenai Counties in Idaho.

Control methods:
Herbicides: Spray with triclopyr ester or amine, or with glyphosate, any time the plants are actively growing. Basal bark application is an effective control method.
Non-chemical: Plant crowns can be grubbed out. Repeated cultivation will destroy seedlings. Mowing and burning are not effective. Goats will browse the plants with no ill effect, however, it has been reported as toxic to other livestock. Several insects are available, including a twig-mining moth, a seed weevil, and a shoot tip leaf-tying moth.

For more information about this plant and its control measures visit the Inland Empire Cooperative Weed Management Area web site.

 

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