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Cytisus scoparius

Common name:	Broom	Family:	Leguminosae
Author:	(L.)Link.	Botanical references:	11, 17, 200
Synonyms:	Spartium scoparium (L.), Sarothamnus scoparius ((L.)K.Koch.)
Known Hazards:	Poisonous[10, 19, 65]. The plant is of extremely low or zero toxicity[76].
Range:	Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south to Spain, east to Poland and Hungary.
Habitat:	Sandy pastures and heaths, occasionally in open woodland, and often near the coast[4, 17]. Strongly calcifuge[17].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	C. scoparius f. sulphureus[G] C. scoparius var. andreanus[G] C. scoparius var. prostratus[G] C. scoparius var. sulphureus[G] Genista andreana[G] Genista scoparia[H] Genista scoparius[H] Sarothamnus scoparius var. prostratus[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Basam [H], Bisom [H], Bizzom [H], Breeam [H], Brem [D], Broom [E,H,MS], Broom Tops [H], Broome [E], Browme [H], Brum [H], Chin Ch'Iao [E], Common Broom [L], Enisida [E], Ginst [E], Green Broom [H], Irish Tops [H], Retama Negra [E], Scotch Broom [H,E,B,L], Scotchbroom [P], Supurge Kecitirfili [E], Yellow Broom [H],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	scopa = broom twig; scoparius = broom like;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Fabales. Renamed to Fabaceae -- Pea family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China; Europe; Spain; Turkey; Us
Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds	From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia , DEFRA Injurious Weeds
	Listed as noxious/invasive for: California, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia.

Physical Characteristics

A decidious shrub growing to 2.4m by 1m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from August to November. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant not is self-fertile. It can fix Nitrogen. It is noted for attracting wildlife. We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Ground Cover.

Edible Uses

Coffee; Condiment; Flowers.

The flower buds are pickled and used as a substitute for capers[4, 46, 183, 244]. They can also be added to salads[183]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
The tender green tops of the plant have been used like hops to give a bitter flavour to beer and to render it more intoxicating[4, 183].
The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[2, 4, 115, 183].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Cardiotonic; Cathartic; Diuretic; Emetic; Vasoconstrictor.

Broom is a bitter narcotic herb that depresses the respiration and regulates heart action[238]. It acts upon the electrical conductivity of the heart, slowing and regulating the transmission of the impulses[254].
The young herbaceous tips of flowering shoots are cardiotonic, cathartic, diuretic, emetic and vasoconstrictor[4, 13, 21, 46, 165]. The seeds can also be used[4]. The plant is used internally in the treatment of heart complaints, and is especially used in conjunction with Convallaria majalis[238]. The plant is also strongly diuretic, stimulating urine production and thus countering fluid retention[254]. Since broom causes the muscles of the uterus to contract, it has been used to prevent blood loss after childbirth[254]. Use this herb with caution since large doses are likely to upset the stomach[4, 21]. The composition of active ingredients in the plant is very changeable, this makes it rather unreliable medicinally and it is therefore rarely used[9]. This herb should not be prescribed to pregnant women or patients with high blood pressure[238]. Any treatment with this plant should only be carried out under expert supervision[9]. See also the notes above on toxicity.
The young herbaceous tips of flowering shoots are harvested in spring, generally in May[4]. They can be used fresh or dried[4, 238]. They should not be stored for more than 12 months since the medicinally active ingredients break down[238].

We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.

Other Uses

Basketry; Broom; Dye; Essential; Fibre; Ground cover; Paper; Repellent; Soil stabilization; Tannin; Wood.

An excellent fibre is obtained from the bark, it is used in the manufacture of paper, cloth and nets[4, 100, 115]. It is not as strong as the fibre from the Spanish broom (Spartium junceum)[4]. The fibre is obtained from the root according to other reports[13, 46]. The bark fibre is used to make paper, it is 2 - 9mm long[189]. The branches are harvested in late summer or autumn, the leaves removed and the stems steamed until the fibres can be stripped. The fibres are cooked for 3 hours in lye then put in a ball mill for 3 hours. The paper is pale tan in colour[189].
The bark is a good source of tannin[4].
A yellow and a brown dye are obtained from the bark[46].
A yellow dye is obtained from the flowering stem[169].
A green dye is obtained from the leaves and young tops[4].
The branches are used to make baskets, brushes, brooms and besoms[4, 6, 13, 46, 55, 115]. They are also sometimes used for thatching roofs and as substitutes for reeds in making fences or screens[4].
An essential oil from the flowers is used in perfumery[57].
Growing well on dry banks and on steep slopes, it is an effective sand binder and soil stabiliser[4, 11, 46]. Broom is one of the first plant to colonize sand dunes by the coast[4].
The plant attracts insects away from nearby plants[14].
The var. prostratus (= C. scoparius maritimus?[208]) makes a good fast growing ground cover plant to 30cm tall, though it needs weeding in its first year[197]. The cultivar 'Andreanus Prostratus' can also be used[208].
Wood - very hard, beautifully veined[4]. The plant seldom reaches sufficient size for its wood to be of much value, but larger specimens are valued by cabinet makers and for veneer[4].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils, preferring a fairly good but not rich soil[11]. Prefers a poor well-drained soil[14]. Succeeds in slightly acid, neutral and limy soils but dislikes shallow soils over chalk[200]. Plants are strongly calcifuge according to other reports and intolerant of a pH much above 6.5[17, 186]. Prefers a sunny position but tolerates some shade[11, 14, 17]. Plants succeed in exposed conditions, and are very tolerant of maritime exposure[4, K]. Plants have a deep root system, they are very drought tolerant once established and grow well on dry banks[4, 11]. Tolerates a smoky atmosphere, growing well in polluted areas[186].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[184].
A number of named forms have been developed for their ornamental value[182].
New leaves are formed in April but these soon drop off the plant, photosynthesis being carried out by means of the green stems[186].
Very tolerant of cutting, it regenerates quickly from the base[186]. Plants are usually killed by fire but the seeds quickly germinate after the fire and rapidly become established[186].
A good bee plant and food plant for many caterpillars[24, 30, 46], it provides the food for the larvae of the green hairstreak butterfly[186]. Ants are attracted to the seeds, feeding on the juicy attachment that holds them to the pods and thus distributing the seed[186].
Dislikes root disturbance, especially when more than 20cm tall[11]. It is best to plant out into their permanent positions as early as possible.
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame[80]. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours in warm water then cold stratify for 1 month and sow in a cold frame[80]. The seed usually germinates in 4 weeks at 20°c[98, 113]. Seedlings should be potted up as soon as possible since plants quickly become intolerant of root disturbance[186]. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late summer if they have made sufficient growth, otherwise in late spring of the following year[K]. The seed has a long viability[186].
Seed can also be sown in situ as soon as it is ripe in the late summer and autumn[4].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 4 - 7 cm with a heel, August in a frame[11]. Produces roots in the spring[11]. Pot up as soon as possible[11].
Cuttings of mature wood, October/November in a frame.
Layering.

Scent

: No details on scent.

Cultivars

'': There are some named forms for this species, but these have been developed for their ornamental value and not for their other uses. Unless you particularly require the special characteristics of any of these cultivars, we would generally recommend that you grow the natural species for its useful properties. We have, therefore, not listed the cultivars in this database[K].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[V] Images from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[S] SW USA Dist. Maps from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[C] Taxon data. from the CalFlora database.
Images from the CalPhoto database.
[PHARM] Phytochemical Data (common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[S] Image from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Sarothamnus scoparius (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

References for Spartium scoparium (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database

References for cytisus scoparius (a possible synonym).

[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[6] Mabey. R. Plants with a Purpose. Fontana 1979 ISBN 0-00-635555-2
Details on some of the useful wild plants of Britain. Poor on pictures but otherwise very good.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[10] Altmann. H. Poisonous Plants and Animals. Chatto and Windus 1980 ISBN 0-7011-2526-8
A small book, reasonable but not very detailed.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[13] Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.

[14] Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979 ISBN 0-87857-262-7
A good herbal.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[19] Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983 ISBN 0-600-35666-3
Not very comprehensive, but easy reading.

[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.

[24] Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.
Fairly good with lots of ideas about creating wildlife areas in the garden.

[30] Carter D. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe. Pan 1982 ISBN 0-330-26642-x
An excellent book on Lepidoptera, it also lists their favourite food plants.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[55] Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973
Interesting reading.

[57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[76] Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984 ISBN 0112425291
Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock.

[80] McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985 ISBN 0-901361-21-6
Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.

[98] Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs.
Very comprehensive guide to growing trees and shrubs from seed. Not for the casual reader.

[100] Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969 ISBN 0192176218
An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[115] Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
Written about a hundred years ago, but still a very good guide to the useful plants of Britain.

[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.

[169] Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.
Covers all aspects of growing your own clothes, from fibre plants to dyes.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[184] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1900 species and cultivars.

[186] Beckett. G. and K. Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Jarrold 1979
An excellent guide to native British trees and shrubs with lots of details about the plants.

[189] Bell. L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press 1988
A good practical section on how to make paper on a small scale plus details of about 75 species (quite a few of them tropical) that can be used.

[197] Royal Horticultural Society. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells. 1989 ISBN 0-304-31089-1
A handy little booklet from the R.H.S.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[208] Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[244] Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990 ISBN 0-330-30725-8
Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

Readers Comments

Cytisus scoparius

Van Perdue (vanp@seanet.com) Wed, 18 Sep 1996

Rich,

I think the PFAF site is great! I discovered it by checking Netscape's "What's New" list.

I have found one weakness, though. Some plants (Cytisus scoparius, in particular) which may be benign in their native UK ecosystem are great pests elsewhere. I have full-time employment trying to help the U. S. Army control the population on Fort Lewis, Washington, where the species is wrecking a native prairie ecosystem. Now, to me, the plant is a boon as it provides me employment. However, it is a serious threat to continued existence of the prairie ecosystem in the Puget Sound basin of western Washington.

Perhaps this is an angle PFAF should consider.

Weeds as a future source for human consumption

Martha D�az B (martha@ecologia.edu.mx) Thu Jun 28 17:02:26 2001

We reciently recieved this article on the use of various weeds in south america. We though that you might enjoy it.

Abstract

Weeds may constitute an additional food source for humans. Up to 66% of weed species are edible and abound in urban and agricultural environments. A total of 43 species were sampled in tropical areas in Coatepec Mexico (e.g. roadsides, urban vacant lots, streets, sugar cane and coffee plantations). A similar survey performed in a temperate area in Bariloche Argentina with 32 species sampled. At a greater geographic scale, a comparison between Mexican and Argentine weeds shows that, proportionately, the food parts vary a little between regions. In general, the uses go from leaves, seeds, roots, fruits, and flowers.

Link: Weeds as a future source for human consumption

Cross references: Plants: Acalypha wilkesiana, Amaranthus dubius, Amaranthus hybridus, Amaranthus spinosus, Anagallis arvensis, Alstroemeria aurea, Berberis buxifolia, Brassica rapa, Bidens odorata, Cichorius intybus, Cirsium vulgare, Claytonia perfoliata, Chenopodium album, Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, Canna indica, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Commelina diffusa, Commelina erecta, Drymaria cordata, Drymaria gracilis, Galinsoga quadriradiata, Heliconia caribaea, Hydrocotyle bonariensis, Hydrocotyle mexicana, Ipomoea purpurea, Ipomoea tilliacea, Ipomoea triloba, Hypochoeris radicata, Lactuca serriola, Malus sylvestris, Medicago lupulina, Melilotus albus, Margaranthus sulphureus, Oenothera odorata, Osmorhiza chilensis, Oxalis corniculata, Oxalis latifolia, Phaseolus vulgaris, Piper auritum, Plantago hirtella, Plantago lanceolata, Portulaca oleracea, Papaver rhoeas, Rumex acetosella, Rumex longifolius, Rumex obtusifolius, Sida acuta, Sida glabra, Sida rhombifolia, Sida spinosa, Solanum nigrum, Sonchus oleraceus, Spilanthes americana, Sanguisorba minor, Silybum marianum, Sonchus asper, Sonchus oleraceus, Stellaria media, Taraxacum officinale, Tragopogon dubius, Tradescantia fluminensis, Tagetes micrantha, Trifolium repens, Tripogandra serrulata, Xanthosoma robustum, Youngia japonica. Genera: Mentha.

Weeds as a future source for human consumption

Klaus (allmendeperma@web.de) Thu Aug 16 16:12:55 2001

I really wonder what this has to do with montia perfoliata. The edible uses of weeds might be interesting, but not as a comment to this plant.

Ulex europaeus

Klaus Dichtel (klaussss@web.de) Tue Dec 25 16:16:31 2001

I wonder how the description of the propagation (book 80) with its demand for a cold frame fits to the quotation of book 186 (which is from Britain)about cultivation details, that says numerous seedlings spring up and replace burnt plants

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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.