Spartium junceum
Common name
Spanish broom
Family
Fabaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Detailed description
Deciduous shrub up to 3 m high. Mature branches and stems are stout, rounded, green to dark green, glabrous and with few leaves. Leaves simple entire and oblong, up to 25 mm on mature branches, up to 45 mm on shaded shoots or seedlings. Inflorescence with numerous golden flowers, up to 28 mm long. Seed pod 50-90 mm long, flattened, becoming glabrous, seeds smooth and dark brown.
Similar taxa
The unusually shaped Calyx (outer green floral parts) with 5 reduced teeth on one side distinguishes Spanish broom from all other wild NZ legumes (Webb et al 1988).
Flowering
December, January, February, March, April, May
Flower colours
Yellow
Year naturalised
1940
Origin
Mediterranean
Reason For Introduction
Ornamental
Life Cycle Comments
Perennial.
Reproduction
Seed
Seed
Many seeds produced per plant.