Plant Family: Fabaceae
Growth Form: Short-lived shrub up to 2 meters tall and 4 meters across that spreads by self-seeding.
Leaves: Alternate, compound, trifoliate, although leaves on the upper twigs may be single.
Bark: Green, turning brown on older branches, the stems are straight, stiff and five-angled.
Flowers: Large, attractive, bright yellow, held in the leaf axils of the previous year’s growth; May to June.
Fruits: Flat, slightly curved, green pods to 6 cm long with soft white hairs along the margins, becoming dark brown to black upon ripening and splitting open to eject the seeds some distance from the parent plant; July into autumn.
Habitat: Sandy or gravelly soils, beaches, dunes, old fields, open woods, highway and railroad corridors.
Range: Native to Europe and northern Africa; in New England it is found mostly on the coastal plain, especially Cape Cod.
Key Features: The straight, angled stems and bright yellow, pea-like flowers are the best field marks.
Comments: Scotch Broom has been introduced to countries worldwide, primarily for its attractive flowers, but it can quickly spread into nearby wild habitats where it may disrupt the native ecology. It is considered an invasive species in the western United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa, Argentina, and most recently, Brazil!
