A modern reference to temperate woody plants, including updated content from this site and much new material, can be found at Trees and Shrubs Online.

Cytisus nigricans L.

Modern name

Lembotropis nigricans (L.) Griseb.

Synonyms

Lembotropis nigricans (L.) Griseb.

A deciduous shrub 3 to 5 ft high, with erect, round branches covered with appressed down. Leaves trifoliolate, with main-stalks 14 to 34 in. long; leaflets 12 to 1 in. long, obovate or oval, with scattered hairs beneath. Flowers yellow, in erect slender racemes, terminating the shoots of the year, and sometimes more than 1 ft long. Whilst the racemes are themselves leafless, they frequently extend into leafy growth above the flowers. Flowers crowded on the raceme, each one 13 to 12 in. long, and borne on a slender, rather shorter, hairy stalk. Calyx some­what helmet-shaped, hairy. Pod 1 to 112 in. long, 15 in. wide, hairy. Bot. Mag., t. 8479.

Native of Central and S.E. Europe; introduced in 1730. This broom is very distinct among its kind, because of its long terminal racemes, which commence to open flowers in July, and continue until the end of August. Flowering as it does on the shoots of the current year, it should be pruned in spring before growth commences. It is wise also to remove the racemes when the flowers are over, so as to prevent excessive seed formation. A group of this broom in the front of a shrubbery is very effective but, although quite hardy, it is short-lived in some soils. The flowers turn black when dried, a peculiarity (not confined to this species) on which Linnaeus based the specific name.


Cytisus nigricans

Cytisus nigricans

Genus

Cytisus

Other species in the genus