Scotch Broom Plant Care

Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius) belongs to the Fabaceae family within the Cytisus genus. Scotch Broom is native to western and central Europe. Scotch Broom is also known as Common Broom, Broom.

Scotch Broom displays an upright, branching shrub growth habit, reaching up to 5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 4 ft. Scotch Broom produces showy pea-like flowers in shades of yellow, pink, or purple.

Leaf size: approximately 1.5 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Scotch Broom every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Scotch Broom thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Cytisus scoparius tolerates temperatures of 50–80°F. Scotch Broom prefers humidity levels of 40–60%.

Well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Scotch Broom to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Scotch Broom every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Scotch Broom is suited to USDA Zone 5a – 8b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Scotch Broom can spread to about 4 ft (1.2 m) and reach about 5 ft (2 m) tall. Space plants about 4 ft (1.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Scotch Broom while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Scotch Broom is hardy down to USDA zone 5a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Scotch Broom can be propagated through seeds, semi-hardwood cuttings.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Scotch Broom is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, caterpillars. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Scotch Broom grows outdoors in USDA Zone 5a – 8b. It survives winters down to planting zone 5a. Scotch Broom is native to western and central Europe.