Hobbies And Interests
Identification
Growing as an upright perennial bush, Scotch broom attains heights between 3 and 12 feet. The shrub features angled branches; compound, green leaves; and brilliant yellow flowers from March until June. The flowers, typical of the pea family, are an inch long and dominate the landscape. They generate dark pods with up to eight seeds inside. The pods burst apart during late summer, scattering the seeds in all directions.
Geography
Found in nearly all of the eastern states with the exceptions of Vermont and Florida, Scotch broom is also a major weed pest in the Far West, notes the United States National Forest Service. States such as California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Utah and Idaho suffer from infestations of Scotch broom. The plant prefers full sun locations and does well in such habitats as roadsides, hills, open fields, waste places, pastures, dry meadows, abandoned farmlands and dried up riverbeds.
Hard to Eradicate
The taproot of the Scotch broom can be 24 inches long, making it difficult to eradicate the shrub by pulling it out. One specimen can have as many as 60 seedpods on it by the shrub's second year of growth. To control Scotch broom by hand, you must pull or dig out all adult plants so they cannot create and disperse their seeds. Special weed wrenches make manually removing Scotch broom less strenuous.
Negative Impacts
The rapid growth of Scotch broom and its aggressive spreading create impenetrable stands that cut wildlife off from entire areas. The shrub degrades grazing lands, since the twigs, leaves and seeds contain alkaloid poisons that affect both people and large mammals -- including horses. Scotch broom creates a fire hazard with its thick growth, crowds out more desirable native plants and prevents the reforestation of a region after a wildfire.