Photograph by Paul Funk.
Photography contest, Honorable Mention.
Cytisus scoparius – Scotch broom, invading a power-line cut on Vancouver Island. Scotch broom is an escaped ornamental that colonizes disturbed areas and competes with conifer seedlings and forage plants.
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Too bad it’s invasive. The flowers are beautiful.
It is lovely, and a common sight in my part of California. Too bad it’s most often undesirable.
Yeah, every spring we get people all up and down the island to try to rip it out.
Sisyphus had it easy.
Thanks, Matt!
But wasn’t Sisyphus stoned all the time?
To me it is a beautiful plant. One has just appeared in my garden - possibly an escape from the wild as it is indigeous here - Northern England
A beauty, until you see a micrograph of the jagged little pollen grains. I was told when I lived in the Pacific Northwest that people with allergies could often blame this plant and its large, sharp pollen for their suffering.
My memory is often faulty these days, but isn’t this the major invasive species on Mt. St. Helen?
Jim: Most likely. It’s a problem all over Washington, too, especially in reforestation areas.
Apparently it escaped from ornamental gardens in Victoria, BC in the .. late 19th century (?).
Price you pay for BTO. :-)
Much maligned in my neck of the woods, but I’d rather see a cut-over hillside covered with Scotch broom than suburban roof tops. Pete, Kitcsap county WA.
I have one in my yard. It is not listed as invasive in Colorado; no idea why. It grows like hell, at least in a yard that gets some watering, but I cannot recall seeing any seedlings.
A huge problem on the west coast.
There are several sterile hybrids. One in the yard is a large broom that is covered with reddish purple flowers. Very striking for a few weeks out of the year.
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