Genista
( jen - NIST - uh )
At-A-Glance InformationGenista, also referred to as Broom, is a genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs that need full sun and little to moderate water. They are grown for their profuse yellow blooms. Attractive on banks, these shrubs can tolerate rocky or infertile soil. They need good drainage, and are not invasive, as other broom varieties sometimes can be.
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Genista Species and Varietals
The genus Genista is a member of the family Fabaceae, and includes around 87 species. Genista growing zones vary by species. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Genista pilosa Deciduous species from Western and Central Europe. Grows best in zones 2b-22, and gets to 1.5 feet tall and 7 feet wide. Intricately-branched with bright yellow blooms in spring. Varieties include 'Vancouver Gold' (golden-yellow blooms), and 'Gold Flash' (hardy, compact variety 12 inches tall and 3 feet wide). |
Caring for and pruning Genista shrubs
Genista shrubs grow well in well-draining average soil when planted in full sun. Plant in springtime or fall. Fertilize these plants once a year with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in springtime, before new growth starts to sprout. Once established, these plants are considered to be drought tolerant and do not need supplemental waterings except for in the drier months of the year. Newer plants will need regular waterings until they become established. Genista can be pruned after flowers fade to neaten the appearance of the shrub and to create a rounder shape.
Propagation
Genista 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 shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Genista by Cutting
Propagating Genista by Seed
Propagating Genista by Cutting
- 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.
- In late 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.
- 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, you'll know you have roots.
- 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 Genista by Seed
- 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.
- Harvest your seeds in . The seed pods on Caesalpinia 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.
- 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 7-14 days 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.
- 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.
Problems and Pests
Genista doesn't suffer from many issues, but it can be susceptible to:
- Chlorosis
Gallery
Videos
How to hard-prune your Genista shrub safely.
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Genista, featured on a plant of the week segment.
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How to identify Genista, and remove it if desired.
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All about a wonderful variety of Broom.
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Resources
global.flowers/en/plants/genista/Genista - Care and Cultivation, Watering, Reproduction
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 335, Genista
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