Spanish Broom

One plant I get questioned about many times a year and one that has quite a "love/hate" relationship attached to it is Spanish Broom, Spartium junceum. If you happen to have a large property and might be looking for a plant that makes an excellent screen or property divider then this is definitely a plant you well may want to consider. If you happen to have this plant on a fairly large property and might be looking to get rid of a plant that makes an excellent screen or property divider then you know what I mean about "love/hate".

Overtime this shrub can spread quite wide and grow fairly tall (6-15 ft.) making it ideal as a natural fence or hedge between properties. It is extremely drought tolerant and will take direct sun and reflected heat with ease. This makes Spanish Broom an excellent shrub to use when considering a plant that won't need regular irrigation. Just like our friend the Oleander, all parts of the Spanish Broom are poisonous. So if you have curious children or puppies this may not be a plant you would chose to use.

Spanish Broom is a perennial, evergreen shrub that is quite hardy (5 F) and will easily take the harsh extremes of the desert quite well. Sometimes this prolific grower is often mistaken for Scotch Broom, Cytisus scoparius, which just so happens to be another prolific grower! The sure fire way to tell the difference between the two is that Spanish Broom has somewhat fragrant flowers and its bright green stems are rounded. And in many areas of the west Spanish Broom is considered a noxious weed because of its prolific seed production.

In fact the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) lists plants that cause serious problems in native ecosystems and Spanish Broom is on the list. So why am I telling you this is a great plant to use in specific applications? Because this is a plant that is great to use in specific applications! In desert applications where some properties are spaced fairly far apart this shrub can be fairly useful as a natural screen. I have never seen where Spanish broom has overgrown to the point where it could be considered invasive. The plant can be aggressively trimmed and sheared to keep it's shape and height in check.

Spanish Broom is not picky about soil and will work in poor, rocky soils. Planting a Spanish Broom is as easy as digging a hole! Native to the west Mediterranean basin area of Spain, and Morocco its introduction to the west is unclear. Spanish Broom produces an abundance of unique, somewhat fragrant bright yellow flowers that make this an awesome plant to behold when it is in full bloom. After blooming Spanish Broom produces these hairy seed pods that open abruptly, ejecting the seeds. These seed pods almost act as if they are spring loaded in that they will cast the seeds quite a distance.

Whatever you do don't let the fact that this plant, in certain situations and applications, can become invasive dissuade you from using Spanish Broom. The chances of the plant becoming invasive in the desert are greatly diminished due to our climate. Considering this plant makes an excellent screen, it's fairly easy to care for and maintain and it's extremely drought tolerant should be reason enough to use them. So don't be afraid, give Spanish Broom a try.