Australia > All Weeds > Broom(Genista spp.)

Broom

Genista spp.

Origin: Native to Europe, Mediterranean to Western Asia

 Africa

Click on Map to see other species coming from the area
and geo-cultural connections

 


Shrub

Family: Fabaceae

Known Hazards: None known.

Origin: Native to Europe, Mediterranean to Western Asia

Habitat: Thickets, poor pastures and heaths.

Edibility Rating: 0 (1-5)

Medicinal Rating: 1 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics: A decidious Shrub growing to 0.6m. It is in flower from December to January. The flowers are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. It can fix Nitrogen. Both genera Cytisus and Genista are similar in appearance and have the same common name. Genista contains 90 species of shrubs or small trees often deciduous or appearing evergreen due to green flattened branches. They are sometimes spiny. Pea-like yellow flowers are carried in dense heads. Seeds which are poisonous are borne in pods. The seeds may live for years in the soil germinating densely after fire.


Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Miscellany. Formerly cultivated as a medicinal plant. No further details.

Other Uses

Dye. A yellow dye is obtained from the plant.

Notes: One of the most common species is Montpellier broom, Genista monspessulana, an evergreen shrub to about 3000m high. Each pod contains about six black seeds which are shed explosively over one or two metres from the parent plant. Montpellier broom has an extensive root system which enables it to withstand drought. Montpellier broom is believed to have been introduced to Australia in the 19th century and has since become naturalised in NSW, Victoria, south west Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania and the ACT where it occurs along roadsides and in the hills behind Canberra.

References:





Cluster of flowers by Tim Waters
Detail of flower by . SantiMB .

 

Australia > All Weeds > Broom

SITE MAP

Site Map

Weed List | Historical Connections
Culinary Uses | Other Projects | Medical Uses
Contact | About The Project | Traditional Craft | Useful Links
Feedback

National Strategy Weeds Rescue
Email:info[a]weedyconnection[.]com

Privacy Statement

Legal Notice
Weeds Committee

Weed List Culinary Uses Contact Traditional Craft Feedback Historical Connections Other Projects About The Project Medical Uses Useful Links Home

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license. We also ask that you let us know (info[at]weedyconnection[dot]com) if you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.
Creative Commons License