Plant · P-071

Scotch Broom

Cytisus scoparius

Scotch Broom fixes nitrogen and covers itself in yellow pea-like flowers, whose buds can be pickled as a caper substitute and whose roasted seed makes a coffee substitute. It sheds thousands of explosively popping seed pods a year that stay viable for up to two decades, and the plant resprouts readily after cutting, fire or freezing. Its leaves, seeds and stems carry alkaloids toxic enough to kill livestock that eat it, so it must be kept out of pasture. It needs strongly acidic soil below pH 6.5 and fails on chalky or limestone ground, and it declines fast wherever summers run hot and humid.