Genista

This group consists of about eighty evergreen and deciduous, hardy and tender shrubs or small trees that are natives of Europe, western Asia, and North Africa. These plants, commonly known as Brooms, have whip-like branches and green branchlets that are sparsely covered with foliage. The masses of pea-like flowers are produced from late spring to late summer, depending on the variety. Brooms come in a variety of shapes and sizes that are suitable for many uses, such as in a small rock garden, a large, open space, or in a container. G. delphinensis is a very small, decumbent, deciduous shrub that is excellent for growing in a rock garden in a fairly mild climate. Its yellow flowers are produced in clusters in mid- to late summer. G. lydia is a hardy, deciduous, dwarf shrub with thin, drooping branches. From late spring and early summer, a profusion of golden yellow flowers cover this plant. G. pilosa (Silky-Leaf Broom) is a hardy, deciduous shrub that grows up to 18 inches high. Its foliage and golden yellow blossoms have silky hairs. G. tinctoria (Dyers' Greenweed) is a shrub that, at one time, was used to provide a dye. It can grow up to 2 feet high with golden yellow flowers. G. tenera var. Golden Shower is a tender, large, deciduous shrub that is covered with such a bounty of yellow flowers it looks to be on fire.

Pot Cultivation

Brooms can live in a wide variety of soils, though they prefer dry, poor soil. They can tolerate a slightly acidic or alkaline soil, but not the extremes. They can handle quite a bit of heat. Choose a location for your Broom with careful consideration. They will not survive being transplanted. Their site should have excellent drainage and shelter from wind. Pruning consists of simply pinching back the shoots each year to encourage bushiness; cutting into the old wood should be avoided; rather, they can be trained to establish a good stem.

Propagation

Seeds can be sown as soon as ripe, or in early spring, in containers of light, loamy soil, in a greenhouse or frame. Once the small plants are large enough to handle, they are transplanted individually to small pots until they are large enough to plant in a nursery border. They should not be left in the containers too long, because large plants will not survive transplanting. Generally, two-year-old plants are old enough to transfer to their permanent positions.

G. germanica

VARIETIES

• G. aetnensis (Mount Etna Broom);
• G. cinerea;
• G. virgata;
• G. delphinensis;
• G. hispanica (Spanish Gorse);
• G. lydia;
• G. pilosa (Silky-Leaf Broom) & var. Goldilocks;
• G. sagittalis (Arrow Broom);
• G. sylvestris & var. pungens;
• G. horrida;
• G. anglica (Needle Furze, Petty Whin);
• G. germanica;
• G. radiata;
• G. tenera & var. Golden Shower;
• G. tinctoria (Dyers' Greenweed) & var. Plena, Royal Gold.