The flowering bush family known as brooms come in a variety of evergreens that have different colored flowers. The pearly white broom, or Spanish broom, also known by its Latin name of Cytisus albus, is a beautiful bush with its snow white flowers that have a small pink stripe at the base of each flower.(1) Native to France, Spain, and Portugal, the shape of the plant looks like the bottom of a straight edged broom in an upright position, thus its name. While this bush is adapted to the Mediterranean climate, it can also be successfully grown in northern countries and desert regions.
Spanish broom generally grows up to five or six feet in height and sometimes taller, making it an ideal natural fence around your yard for privacy. This bush has the drawback of spreading quickly but growth can be kept under control through pruning during the winter season. When the bush self seeds during this time, the seeds can either be collected and saved, or allowed to fall onto the ground. Be prepared for new young bushes the following season if you choose to go the latter route. Some of the young bushes may spring up in unsuspected areas if the seeds “travel” along the ground. In this case, the young bushes can be uprooted and replanted in a more desirable area. Spanish broom, as with the other broom shrubs, grow easily from seed and do not require any special quality of soil to germinate in.(2)
Spanish broom can be purchased as a young shrub through a local nursery. If you know someone who has a Spanish broom shrub, you can request for some seeds after its blossoming season. The seed pods on the Spanish broom turn black then explode, causing the seeds to fall out on their own. These seeds can be saved for the following season. The best time to plant a young bush or the seeds is during the spring time after the last frost. For the seeds, they should be planted 1/8″ to 1/4″ deep in the soil. Usually when the bush reseeds itself, the seeds can germinate while receiving full sunlight. When sitting directly on top of the ground, though, the seeds can move either due to wind conditions or water when the time comes to water the seeds. Giving the seeds some protection by being covered with the soil will help keep the bushes growing in a designated spot.(3)
The bush, when planted from seeds, can start to blossom the following year. Spanish broom blossoms during the fall season. The young plants like full sunlight and can tolerate dry conditions. It is important to avoid overwatering the bushes. Like the forsythia, Spanish broom can grow in poor soil without any fertilizer being necessary. Spanish broom is a hardy evergreen bush and once it starts to blossom, the flowers are quite beautiful and showy. You can cut off a branch or two of the blossoming bush and stick them in a vase of water inside your home.
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broom_(shrub)
2. http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/White_Spanish_Broom
3. http://www.weedscrc.org.au/documents/wmg_white_spanish_broom.pdf
