Spanish broom
4
9Will it grow where I live?
Spanish broom is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify.
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Profile
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Habit
- Shrub
- Height
- 2.5 m
- Spread
- 1.5 m
- Growth
- fast
- Lifespan
- 25 years
- First yield
- after 3 years
- Hardiness
- zone 8–10
- Shade tolerance
- full sun
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- very dry – very wet
- pH
- 6 – 8
- Synonyms
- Genista juncea, Genista odorata
Uses
Medicinal: Young herbaceous tips of the flowering shoots are harvested in spring, typically in May. They can be used fresh or dried and have heart-toning, laxative, diuretic, emetic, and laxative properties. The seeds can also be utilized. The plant is an effective and potent diuretic, being 5-6 times more active than the medically similar Cytisus scoparius. Caution is advised in its use as large doses are likely to upset the stomach and lead to laxative effects.
Origin & habitat
Southern Europe to North Africa. Naturalized in southern part of the country.
Forests and hills, often cultivated.
⚠️ Hazards
At Ginster, it is always assumed that all parts are toxic if consumed.
Frequently asked questions
Spanish broom: how big does it get?
Spanish broom (Spartium junceum) grows as a Shrub and reaches roughly 2.5 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 1.5 m. Growth is fast.
Spanish broom: what site does it need?
Spanish broom tolerates full sun. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range very dry – very wet. The pH may lie between 6 and 8.
Spanish broom: is it hardy?
Spanish broom is listed as hardy in zone 8–10 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Spanish broom: will it grow in Central Europe?
Spanish broom is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify.
Spanish broom: is it poisonous?
Individual parts of Spanish broom are noted as mildly problematic — the plant does not count as poisonous. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone, only on a confident identification.
Spanish broom: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Medicinal 4/10, Other uses 9/10.
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