# Scotch Broom (*Cytisus scoparius*) Scotch Broom is a bright yellow flowering shrub that loves to grow in sunny places. It has long, green stems and can grow quite tall, making it a cheerful sight in gardens and fields. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Scotch Broom](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cytisus_scoparius_001.jpg&width=800) Photo: Willow, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cytisus_scoparius_001.jpg) ## Appearance The Scotch Broom has vibrant, pea-like yellow flowers clustered along its upright, green, angular stems. Its slender, wiry branches make it look quite distinct from other shrubs, often forming dense, bushy patches. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Cytisus ## Interesting facts - Its tiny seeds can stay hidden in the soil for 80 years before sprouting! - On a warm day, its seed pods make snapping sounds as they burst open to spread seeds! - Scotch Broom was brought to new places as a garden plant, but it got too wild! - Some old-fashioned brooms for sweeping were actually made from its flexible stems! ## Special abilities - **Soil Power-Up:** Scotch Broom can enrich soil by pulling nitrogen from the air with special root bacteria, helping it grow in poor ground. - **Explosive Seeds:** Scotch Broom has seed pods that pop open forcefully, flinging seeds several meters away to spread easily. - **Drought Buster:** Scotch Broom has tough, waxy stems and a deep root system that helps it survive in very dry, sunny places. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-300 cm - **Spread:** 100-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Red-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus lapidarius*) — A frequent visitor for nectar and pollen. - **Eats:** Broom leaf beetle (*Chrysolina quadrigemina*) — Larvae and adults feed on leaves and stems. - **Eats:** Genista broom moth (*Uresiphita reversalis*) — Its caterpillars consume the foliage and stems. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low While Scotch Broom is pretty, it's best to look and not touch, as some parts can be prickly. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Scotch Broom? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Scotch Broom? 100-300 cm ### How wide does Scotch Broom spread? 100-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on Scotch Broom? 1-2.5 cm ### When does Scotch Broom bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is Scotch Broom edible? No ### Is Scotch Broom toxic? Moderate ### What is Scotch Broom's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Capitol State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/capitol-state-forest) — Washington, US · Forest - [Carl S. English, Jr., Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carl-s-english-jr-botanical-gardens) — Washington, US · Botanical Garden - [Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/marshall-gold-discovery-state-historic-park) — California, US · State Park - [Iona Beach Regional Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/iona-beach-regional-park) — British Columbia, CA · Park - [Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/burgoyne-bay-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Scotch Broom](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/scotch-broom) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Scotch Broom: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scotch-broom)