Danny S. · CC BY-SA 3.0
Scotch broom
Shrub·Cytisus scoparius
Full sun
Sun
Low
Water
Well-drained soil
Drainage
Zones 5–8
Hardiness
Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) is a shrub. It grows best in full sun and has low water needs.
Through the year
DormantLeafing outFloweringFruitingDying back
Works well with
from wiki dataNo companions recorded.
WHAT IT NEEDS
Wants full sun
Needs little water
Needs well-drained soil
Prefers soil pH 4.5–7
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Prefers sandy, loamy, gravelly soil
Tolerates compacted soil well
Fixes nitrogen in the soil
Draws up nitrogen from deep in the soil
Adds a moderate amount of organic matter to the soil
Partners with mycorrhizal fungi to boost nutrient uptake
WHAT IT GIVES
Gives mulch biomass (medium)
Gives nectar (attracts pollinators)
Provides nitrogen
Attracts pollinators
HOW IT GROWS
SIZE & SPACING
Shrub layer
Height100–300 cm
Spacing150 cm (min 100 cm)
Root depthMedium
Width100–200 cm
Width figures are rough estimates, the most variable measurement in our data.
AI estimate · accuracy improves as growers contribute corrections.
HOW TO PROPAGATE
Propagate by seed, cuttings
Difficulty
Establishes in about 1 yr
Self-seeds freely and can spread on its own
Where this comes from
Parsed11 Sept 2026
ConfidenceNot recorded
Photograph Danny S. · CC BY-SA 3.0