Key identifying traits
- Bright yellow pea
flowers strongly resembling those of Scotch Broom
- Leaves are much smaller
than the flowers
- Has sharp thorns up to
3 long
- 1 seed pods contain 1 -
4 seeds each
- Plants will grow to 6
tall
- Multiple branches are
covered thorns & the entire bush has a grayish-green coloration
Biology
and ecology
- A perennial reproducing
from seeds
- Plants can produce a
large amount of seeds that may stay viable in the soil for up to
30 years
- At maturity the seed
pods pop and eject the seeds several feet
- This plant is a native
to Europe
- Infests many acres along
the coasts of Oregon, California, and Washington
- First introduced into
Oregon and Hawaii as an ornamental and hedge plant
Control
Prevention
Learn to identify plants; know your property; do not allow
ornamentals to escape
Biological
No known biological control
Cultural
Once established will form dense stands that are difficult to
control
Mechanical
Very difficult once it has formed a dense stand due to the thorns
Chemical Difficult
due to waxy cuticle but several effective at label rates with
appropriate surfactant; a combination of herbicide application,
burning, cultivation, and planting a cover crop will bring the best
results; refer to the
PNW Weed Management handbook for specific chemical
recommendations |
