Side by side
Broom or gorse? How to tell them apart
Cytisus scoparius · Ulex europaeus
You can tell a broom by its green, grooved, thornless twigs that turn golden yellow in May–June; a gorse has green spines instead of leaves and flowers mainly in March–May, with flowers that smell of coconut.
Reach out carefully: if it prickles everywhere, it is gorse; if you feel smooth, green twigs, it is broom. Both are shrubs of 1–2 m with yellow pea flowers, on acid, dry sandy soil.
| Broom | Gorse | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Small, trifoliate leaves (1–2 cm) that soon drop; the green twigs do the work. | Mature plants have only stiff green spines of 1–2.5 cm; seedlings have trifoliate leaves. |
| Flowering | Golden-yellow pea flowers (2 cm) in May–June, all along the twigs (May–June). | Golden-yellow pea flowers with a coconut scent, mainly in March–May, but a few almost all year round (February–May). |
| Fruit | Flat, hairy pods that turn black and audibly snap open in the summer sun. | Hairy pods that snap open in summer. |
| Bark | Green, angular, broom-like twigs, green even in winter; old stems brown. | Green, grooved twigs, with spines everywhere. |
| Shape and height | Shrub, 1–2 m | Shrub, 1–2 m |
| Site | Full sun, acid soil, dry | Full sun, acid soil, dry |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | Yes |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees, butterflies and birds |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets |
| Pruning months | June–July | May–June |
The best feature in each season
- Spring
- Gorse flowers first, mainly in March–May, but a little almost all year round. Broom follows in May–June and then turns entirely golden yellow.
- Summer
- Both carry hairy pods that crack open audibly in the summer sun and fling out their seeds. Broom then has small, three-part leaves that soon fall.
- Autumn
- Without flowers, look at the twigs: green, angular, broom-like twigs on the broom, stiff green spines of 1–2.5 cm on the gorse.
- Winter
- Both stay green thanks to their green twigs or spines. On a mild winter’s day gorse often flowers a little; broom never flowers in winter.
Where do they grow?
Both are native and grow on acid, dry sandy and loamy soils: on heaths, verges, along railways and in clearings. Gorse is less common here than broom.
Which one for your garden?
- If you have a sunny garden on poor sandy soil, both are an asset for bees and bumblebees. Gorse makes an impenetrable hedge, but it burns very easily: not against the house, a shed or a wooden fence.
- All parts of broom are poisonous, especially the seeds and pods, as are the seeds of gorse: keep an eye on small children and pets, and do not plant them next to a paddock with horses or livestock.
Did you know? Brooms were once made from broom: hence its scientific name scoparius, which means broom.
Read on
- Plant profile: Broom
- Plant profile: Gorse
- Broom: when and how to prune
- Gorse: when and how to prune
- Identification key: the question that separates them