Brooms, which encompass species within both the Cytisus and Genista genera, bring pops of vibrant springtime color to those troublesome sandy and gravelling soils. Native to scrubby sites in Europe, Western Asia and North Africa, cultivars of these shrubs are problem solvers, transforming problem areas into beautiful landscapes.
The brooms shine most brilliantly in late spring and early summer, bearing mostly yellow but sometimes purple, lilac or white pea-like flowers. The pea-like flowers make sense since both Cytisus and Genista are in the Fabaceae, or pea family. The rest of the growing season they appear as 4- to 6-ft. tall angular shrubs with green stems and very small leaves. This habit gives it the appearance of an old-fashioned broom, hence the common name.
