Invasive Plant Details
Back to Full ListScotch Broom
Latin Name: Cytisus scoparius
Identification
Flower: Bright yellow, pea-like flowers that bloom from late spring to early summer.
Leaves: Small, trifoliate leaves that are dark green and sparsely distributed.
Stems: Woody, green, and angular, growing up to 3 meters tall.
Growing Environment: Prefers well-drained soils in open woodlands, fields, and disturbed areas.
Growth Habit: A perennial, woody shrub that spreads aggressively by seed, forming dense, impenetrable thickets. In situ, Scotch broom appears as large, bushy masses of yellow flowers, often dominating disturbed areas and open fields.
Impacts on Environment
Impacts: Highly invasive in open disturbed areas, right-of-ways and open woodlands, where it forms dense thickets that displace native plants.
