Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Why it’s in the garden
Oxysparteine, produced from the action of acid on the sparteine, is useful as a cardiac stimulant and has the advantage over digoxin that it does not accumulate in the body.
As a legume it also helps soil fertility by fixing nitrogen and is very attractive to insects.
Description
Medium size, evergreen shrubs with a long flower spike. Good for winter structure and greenery
Care and Maintenance
Will require pruning down to about 20cm in feb/march every year. Flowers only come on new growth, and it stops them getting too big.