Scotch broom is native to Europe. It was introduced in the US as an ornamental plant in the 1800's and has since spread to a point of being declared invasive on the West Coast and some midwest states. In the eastern USA it is listed as a noxious weed in some states such as GA and SC. A medium-sized plant can produce thousands of seeds per year. When the seed pods have dried they will burst open, spreading the seed over a wide area and can stay viable for up to 20 years. The seed is then carried by animals and insects, such as ants, to further its spread. Cutting the plant back, freezing temperatures and even wildfires cannot keep the plant from spouting. The shrub will grow 4-8 feet tall with a broom-like appearance and a rounded crown. It has spread to areas such as roadsides, pastures, dry scrubland and other disturbed sites. It has been successful in competing for growing room on dry, sandy soil due to its nitrogen-fixing ability. Please see native alternatives to the left. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect problems. Susceptible to leaf and stem blight. It is a short-lived shrub but tends to reseed itself. It can be weedy and rapidly grow to crowd out native plants. If plants are unwanted, pull them before they flower and set seed. Some non-seeding cultivars are available. The invasive nature of this plant will diminish grazing habitat and is also a concern for the increased risk of wildfires. Quick ID Hints : Pea-like flowers in late spring along green stems Leaves trifoliate on lower stem, one leaflet on upper stem Stems have 'twizzler stick' appearance Twiggy, mounded shrub with arching stems Flowers yellow, or red, pink hues
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry | Occasionally Wet
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Erect; Open
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The alternate, trifoliate, bright to medium green leaves are not highly visible, blending in with the green stems. The compound leaves have 3 leaflets.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Pink; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Irregular
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
The 1 in. glowing, golden yellow sweet pea shaped flowers bloom in late spring to early summer on old wood. Some cultivars have red, pink, or gold flowers. Rich yellow, pea-like, axillary, 1/2-3/4" diameter. They may grow as a solitary bloom or in pairs.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Green
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Its fruit is a 2" flattened pea-like green pod with hairy margins.
Erosion control. Fiber from the bark is used to manufacture paper, cloth and nets as well as to create dyes. Branches can be made into brooms, baskets and brushes and also in construction of thatched roofs. The flowering stems can be used to make a yellow dye while the leaves and young tops are used for a green dye.