English Broom - introduced (*Cytisus scoparius)

Other names: Scotch Broom.

Family: Fabaceae (Pea family).

Native of Europe.

Occurrence: Scattered along roadsides and streams. It may invade native forest. It may be locally abundant.

Identification:

• it is a shrub 2 or 3 metres high
• it usually has large, bright yellow pea-flowers (some cultivars may have flowers that are various shades of red and brown, or white)
• the stems are ridged
• the leaves have three clover-like leaflets; there is usually only one leaflet on young growth)
• the leaves may fall off, so that branches may appear to be leafless.

It is a noxious weed and listed as Restricted in central Victoria. English Broom, like other pest brooms, is a garden escape. Seeds are explosively ejected by the drying pods. The seeds may also be carried by water.

Similar species: Cape Broom has similar clover-like leaves. It does not have ridged stems, and usually has denser leaf cover. Native shrubs with yellow pea flowers have smaller flowers, or differ in habit, ridging along the stem, or size.

Photos: English Broom, Castlemaine and Maldon districts. The flowers are usually a bright yellow. However cultivars have a variety of colours, including pale yellow. The leaves are usually trifoliate, but some leaves may have a single leaflet