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Species
Information
- French
broom
- Genista
monspessulana (L.)
L. Johnson
- USDA
Symbol: GEMO2
- Oregon
Noxious Weed Designation: B
- Pictures
Identification:
Perennial; blooms April to June. Grows 3 to 10 ft tall. Evergreen shrub similar to Scotch broom except plants not as erect, leaves retained the entire year, leaves trifoliate and more numerous, and yellow flowers smaller.
Impacts:
This plant, an aggressive pioneer species, takes advantage of land disturbances to establish and spread. In California, large infestations displace native plant species and significantly increase the costs of reforestation in commercial timberlands. During the dry summer months, thick stands create a severe fire hazard by providing an avenue for ground fire to reach into forest canopies and spread. Annual costs for right-of-way maintenance on roadways, powerlines, and private property reach millions of dollars a year because of the persistant nature of this species. The brooms are also unpalatable to most livestock, and anecdotal evidence indicates that they may be slightly toxic.
Biological
Controls: One approved biocontrol agent, a beetle who feeds on seeds in the larval stage and pollen in the adult stage, has become established in Oregon but is threatened by a parasitic wasp.
Oregon
Maps of French Broom Distribution
Links:
USDA
Plants Database information on French broom
GRIN
Database information on French broom
Oregon Department
of Agriculture information on French
broom
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