Broom In Bloom

Day 231: Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius) is a common sight in the Pacific Northwest, often covering vast expanses of open land. In the lowlands, it is regarded by many as an invasive, although it is not presently on a list for eradication. It resembles Gorse (another invasive) but does not have the sharp spines for which that plant is noted.

According to Pojar and MacKinnon in "Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast," Scotch Broom was introduced to Vancouver Island (British Columbia) in 1850 by Capt. Walter Colquhoun. Three of the seeds he planted in Sooke germinated, and all Broom in the Pacific Northwest can be genetically traced back to those original bushes. The color variations shown here are but a few of the natural hybrids to be found in western Washington. Several sterile varieties (generally bearing smaller flowers) are available for domestic gardens.