Cytisus scoparius – Scotch Broom

Broom. An evergreen native shrub, growing 3 m (10 ft) high within a few years. A nitrogen-fixing legume, vigorous and healthy, which needs a sunny position and a well-drained soil. The seeds can be used to make a coffee, while the flower buds may be pickled (use with care – may be toxic to some people). A very wind-hardy hedging plant; several dyes are obtained from the plant, which provides food for bees and butterflies. Hardy to about -20°C. Stratification: SC. Number of seeds: 50.