Download Article 24 Spanish Broom - Botanical Society of South Africa

Weeds in our Area (Part Twenty Four)
By Bob and Ena McIntyre – Garden Route Branch.
Spanish broom (Spartium junceum)
Introduced from the Mediterranean area of
Europe as an ornamental and hedging plant,
Spanish broom (Spartium junceum) with its
fragrant bright yellow pea-type flowers in spring is
a Category One weed. This weed is a potential
transformer and is known to invade fynbos areas,
roadsides, urban open spaces and disturbed areas.
The plant is poisonous to livestock as they contain
high levels of alkaloids. While instances of human
poisoning are rare, young children may be
poisoned after eating the seeds1.
Identification: The striking yellow pea type flowers
appear on the ends of long virtually leafless, rushlike dark green slender stems. The simple
(undivided) leaves are blue-green, silky underneath and deciduous. The fruits are brown flattened
pods up to 75mm long and initially covered with white silky hairs. A similar Category One weed,
Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) also from Europe, is a problem in the eastern parts of South
Africa. This plant has trifoliate leaves on ridged or grooved branches. It also has yellow pea-type
flowers and is poisonous.
Control: As no herbicide is registered for this plant, manual removal is necessary.
1. Van Wyk, B-E., van Heerden, F., & van Oudtshoorn, B. 2002. Poisonous Plants of South Africa.
Briza, Pretoria.
2. Bromilow, C. 2001. Problem Plants of South Africa. Briza, Pretoria.
Line drawing with acknowledgements to “ALIEN WEEDS AND INVASIVE PLANTS” by Lesley
Henderson. Copyright © 2001 Agricultural Research Council.