What does it look like?

Plant: Perennial shrub, 6 to 15 ft tall.
Stems: Green, cylindrical, not angled (rush-like).
Leaves: Small, less than a half inch, shed during summer drought – giving plant a stick-like appearance.
Flowers: Yellow, pea-like and fragrant, about an inch in size. Flowers from early spring to the beginning of summer.
Fruit: Pod, 2 to 4 inches long. Pods generally start to appear in June and July.

Where is it found?

Common in disturbed sites, particularly road cuts, trail sides, stream banks, abandoned lands, eroded slopes and post-burn areas. It is also planted as an ornamental. Spanish Broom is especially common along Kanan Dume Road and a large patch is found on the summit of Saddle Peak.

Why worry?

Spanish Broom rapidly invades disturbed habitat preventing native shrubs from re-colonizing an area. Mature stands generate large amounts of deadwood contributing to fire hazards. Broom is poor forage for native wildlife.