[ID] Broom, maybe?

[Jason Green]

Hi all,

I have often read online about the number of insects associated partly or solely with Broom. I finally tried to find out about it and see what it looks like, so I may find a plant locally to study to hopefully make a few nice finds. Anyway, I saw images online of this obviously yellow plant - and think I may have unwittingly photographed one about two years back!

2007

A shrubbery-like plant

Am I correct? If not, it's just me being silly in the wildflower forum again...

Take care,

Jason

[aeshna5]

It's certainly a species of Broom. Was this in a garden/park? Possibly a horticultural variety.

[Jason Green]

Many thanks Aesh for the quick reply. Yes, a park - I'll enquire with a gardener when I get the chance. I think I saw one on an area of grassland last year. I don't have a photo, just a vague memory of something similar - maybe the natural one.

I was surprised to see just how similar the flowerheads are to Birds-foot Trefoil

[davidbr]

It's definitely a species of Broom - and, by a process of elimination, I think it must be a cultivar of Common Broom Cytisus scoparius; they do come in quite a range of colours, I found one near Poole last May with pale two-coloured flowers which had me baffled for quite a while.

I certainly can't match it to any of the species listed in Alien Plants of the British Isles, anyway

[Jason Green]

Thanks David. I've just read that the Nb-classified Leaf Beetle Cryptocephalus bipunctatus is associated with Broom too - hopefully I'll find this beauty there this year

[loripo]

Looks as tho they may be related...
Bird's-Foot Trefoil (Lotus Corniculatus)

[Jason Green]

Thanks Lori! That'll account for the similarity then