Sweet Broom Shrubs – How to Grow and Care Sweet Broom Shrubs?

Hey, do you want to grow the broom shrubs in your garden? There are various species of broom, at least more than 30 varieties. One of the common ones is the sweet broom shrub.In this article, you can know all about Sweet Broom Shrubs and a few tips on How to grow and care for them just like leucadendron plants!

Key takeaways:

• Broom blossoms occur in a variety of colors, including yellow, white, pink, orange, and red.
• The little leaves provide a contrast to the more spectacular plants.
• Some brooms have an elegant, arching shape, while others have a limited growth rate. 

Do you want to grow sweet broom shrubs just like Deciduous? If yes, then it is a great decision as Brooms are tiny bushes with pea-like flowers that bloom in the spring and summer months. This common name is shared by two species: Cytisus and Genista. They’re nearly identical, except Genista prefers alkaline soils.

Most are deciduous and compact, making them ideal for small gardens. While many people believe the plant to be a harmful weed, its pea-like golden yellow blossoms and brilliant green complex leaves make it an appealing plant. Despite dehydration and heat, the plant grows swiftly and forms a lovely hairy bush. 

Let us know more about it in detail by reading the whole article. 

What is a Sweet Broom shrub?

Do you know about the sweet broom shrub? The broom plant is the common name for two plants belonging to the legume family (Fabaceae), Cytisus and Genista. Broom plants appear in many varieties of evergreen and deciduous shrubs. Genista racemosa) is commonly found along highways on the West Coast of the United States. 

It grows rapidly with a loose, bushy habit. Common gorse (Cytisus racemosus syn.) With gorse’s nitrogen-fixing abilities and fast-growing fibrous, soil-stabilizing roots, this fragrant, attractive bloom is a harbinger of summer. It shines on many of the country’s highways and attracts pollinators of many species.

Common Names	Broom, broom plant
Botanical Name	Cytisus spp., Genista spp.
Family	Fabaceae
Plant Type	Shrub
Mature Size	6-8 ft. tall, 5-6 ft. wide
Sun Exposure	Full
Soil Type	Loamy, well-drained
Soil pH	Acidic, neutral, alkaline
Bloom Time	Spring, summer
Flower Color	Yellow, white, red, orange, purple
Hardiness Zones	5-8 (USDA)
Native Area	Europe
Toxicity	Toxic to humans1, toxic to pets

How do you grow Sweet Broom shrubs? 

Do you want to know how you can harvest or grow the sweet broom shrubs? You can Harvest and sow the pods when they have turned black, which means they are ripe. Note that every fussy gorse plant seed may not germinate. Let us discuss the steps in detail: 

Step 1- Firstly, you need to put all the seeds in hot water for about 24 hours before planting.

Step 2-  After that, you have to take a pot or slab filled with sand.

Step 3- Germinate at 65°F (indoors in March or outdoors in April, depending on the climate).

Step 4-  Now, wrap or hide early seeds or seedlings with a cloth or cold rack.

Step 5-  Lastly, Plant in the spring, but need not wait long as the roots will start growing long and the plant will not thrive if transplanted at a later stage.

How to care for Sweet Broom shrubs?

Though you have planted the shrub now you need to properly take care of it. No worries! We are here with the caring tips that you can follow to apply them:

Sunlight requirements 

Brooms grow best in open areas with full sun, although they will tolerate some shade. Follow the lighting and location instructions for each strain. They tend to make gorse plants with fewer flowers leggy if placed in high shade.

For more such plant related-articles, you may also read, Staghorn Fern – Varieties, Species, and Types

Water requirements 

You have to keep the soil moist, and for that, you need to water the plants regularly. They can take advantage of the climate being dry or the soil is not good material. You have to check if the soil gets dry, then water the plants. This will keep them moist and help them grow.

Soil requirements 

What do you think about the soil required by this type of plant? They tend to be in well-drained soil that can be clay, sand, loamy, or acidic. So, by making the best soil acidic you can keep your plant growing healthy. 

Broom Types:

 The following are some broom types based on species, cultivars, and hybrids such as:

Cytisus Varieties:

• The Cytisus x kewensis also known as kew broom that is used to grow upto 2 feet tall and is best grown in rock gardens. They are used to growing with wide, low-growing shrubs having pale yellow to creamy white flowers that are used to bloom in spring.
• The Cytisus x spachianus is also called a sweet broom which is a hybrid having bright yellow, sweetly fragrant flowers that are used to grow in late spring.
• The Cytisus x ‘Lena’ are also known as Lena scotch brooms that are used to grow up to 4 feet tall. The plant does have foliage which is deep green and flowers in red yellow color that is used to bloom during the spring and early summer season.  
• The Cytisus x praecox is called Warminster broom which is a hybrid plant that is used to grow upto 5 feet tall having pale yellow flowers blooming during early May.
• The Cytisus scoparius is called a common broom, Scotch broom does have yellow flowers that are used to grow upto 5 feet tall from May to June.
• The cornish cream broom variety does have ivory cream and yellow flowers.
• The goldfinch variety has crimson and yellow with pink and yellow wings. They are used to grow between 5 and 7 feet tall having crimson flowers that are used to bloom during late spring.
• The Cytisus racemosus nana also called as a dwarf yellow broom that is used to grow about 5 feet in height and grows best in a container having a number of yellow flowers that bloom during spring to summer.

Genista Plant Varieties:

• The Genista Lydia is called a Lydian broom that is used to grow 2 feet tall and spread 3 feet. They are used to have green arching stems covered with golden yellow flowers that are used to bloom during May and June.
• The Genista hispanica is also a called Spanish gorse that is used to grow over 3 feet tall and spread for at least t feet wide. The flowers are used to bloom densely during June and July month.
• The Genista aetnensis also called Mount Etna broom is used to grow over 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide having linear leaves with yellow flowers. They are used to bloom during July month.

Propagating Broom Plant:

The broom plant consists of deep branches with taproots. The following is the way to propagate the broom plant.

• During July or August, you need to cut a 3-inch cutting which is a semi-mature wood with the help of using sharp knife or pruners. Make sure not to take the cutting early as it will raise rot root condition.
• After taking the stem cutting you need to dip the bottom of the stem into the rooting hormone and then sow the cutting into the 4-inch pot which is filled with moist and well-dried potting mix.
• You need to place the pot in a cold location to keep the soil moist. 
• The rooting will start growing during spring.

Wrapping up the context 

In this article, you come to know about the broom plants that have various species. Broom blossoms occur in a variety of colors, including yellow, white, pink, orange, and red. The little leaves provide a contrast to the more spectacular plants.

Some brooms have an elegant, arching shape, while others have a limited growth rate. Most are deciduous and compact, making them ideal for small gardens. I hope this article will be helpful for you all. 

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