Low spreading British native broom relative with bright yellow pea-flowers in summer. Whole flowering shoots produce a clear yellow dye, the traditional partner to woad for medieval green cloth.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 2–8 | −45.6 °C to −6.7 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H7 | down to −20 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 2–8 | −40 °C to −1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 1–5 | −15 °C to 10 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Yellow dye extracted from the whole flowering shoot — harvested at peak bloom, dried, then used fresh or stored
- Mixed with woad gave the famous Lincoln green and Kendal green cloth of medieval England
- Nitrogen-fixing legume — improves poor soils where it grows
- Distinct from the larger and more familiar Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius, already in the database) — dyer’s broom is much smaller, native to British grassland rather than the heath
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Dyer’s broom (Dyer’s greenweed) against your zones