cytisus

( SIT - iss - us )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Broom, this group of evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous shrubs requires full sun and little to no water, making it a great candidate for a water-wise California garden. This is the most popular of the Broom species; its flowers are commonly quite fragrant, and these plants can tolerate windy conditions and seaside climates with ease. Use these flowering shrubs in mixed beds and borders, in containers, along walkways, or in open areas of the landscape.

cytisus Species and Varietals

The genus Cytisus includes around 27 species and is a member of the family Fabaceae. Cytisus growing zones vary by species; see the descriptions below for more information. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Cytisus battandieri (Atlas Broom)
These shrubs can be semi-evergreen or deciduous, and grow best in zones 4-6 and 14-17. They are native to Morocco and grow quickly to 12-15 feet high and wide. Can be trained into a small tree. Pure yellow, fragrant flowers cluster in spikes at the ends of branches in the summertime.

Cytisus multiflorus (White Broom, White Spanishbroom, Portuguese Broom)
These shrubs reach up to 3 feet tall when mature, and have a sprawling habit. These plants are native to Portugal and Spain, and has been identified as an invasive weed in areas of Australia and North America. Flowers are white, and bloom along branches

Cytisus nigricans (Black Broom)
This species reaches between 3 and 5 feet tall when mature, and produces yellow flowers that are slightly fragrant in summer and autumn. Cultivar 'Cyni' is compact, reaching just a little over three feet tall. These are hardy plants, but do prefer some shelter from full sun, especially in the hottest hours of the day.

Cytisus x praecox (Warminster Broom)
Deciduous species, grows best in zones 2-9 and 14-22. Has a compact growth to 3-5 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide, with many stems. Forms a mound of creamy white flowers in springtime. Can be used as an informal screen or hedge along driveways or pathways. Varieties include 'Allgold' (a slightly taller mound, with bright yellow flowers), and 'Hollandia' (with pink flowers).
Cytisus scoparius (Scotch Broom, Common Broom)
An evergreen species that grows best in zones 2-9, 14-22 and H1. This is a European species that is considered invasive, has an upright habit, with golden yellow flowers in spring and early summer. Considered a weed in most of the Western United States, its hybrid varieties are more commonly grown because they are less spreading and invasive.
'Burkwoodii'
Has red blooms with a touch of yellow.
'Dorothy Walpole'
Has rose-pink flowers marked with crimson.
'Lena'
Red and yellow flowers.
'Lilac Time'
Lilac blooms on a compact plant.
'Pomona'
Orange and apricot-colored flowers.
'Stanford'
Red blooms.

Caring for and pruning Cytisus shrubs

Plant Cytisus in fall or spring in well-draining soil in full sun amongst other low-water plants. These plants are considered very easy to care for, and will thrive even when neglected. Pruning is not required, though deadheading spent flower spikes will encourage more to pop. They can also be reshaped to encourage a bushier habit if desired. Waterings are only required in the first year after planting; once established these shrubs are drought-tolerant. If grown in a container, provide with regular water.

Propagation

Cytisus can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your plant, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Cytisus by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth on your propagated shrub, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Cytisus by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Cytisus plants are pretty easy to spot, they're large and dangle from the branches, left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. Soak your harvested seeds in lukewarm water for 24 hours, then take them out and lay them out to dry.
  4. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes around 4 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  5. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Cytisus seed pods, dried on the plant and ready to be harvested.
Cytisus seeds are small and rounded.

Problems and Pests

Problems affecting Cytisus shrubs include:
  • Aphids
  • Scale
For more information on eradicating and preventing these issues, see the following links:
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Gallery

The pink blooms of Cytisus x praecox 'Hollandia'.
These shrubs bloom profusely.
The natural shape of a Cytisus shrub.

Videos

A video on a great variety of Cytisus.
How to identify Cytisus.

Resources

Cytisus Broom Shrub Garden Plants Design Information
Cytisus - Planting, Pruning and Care
Wikipedia: Cytisus
Wikipedia: Cytisus scoparius
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 278, Cytisus
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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