The radiant broom is popular with bees in early summer and also cuts a fine figure in the bucket. It is also very robust and easy to care for.
The radiate broom (Genista radiata) is also commonly referred to as ball broom and belongs to the legume family. The plants are characterized by dense growth, reaching heights of about one meter. Between May and August, the pretty golden-yellow flowers appear with the broad flag typical of broom. The legumes are about five centimeters long and have silky hairs on the outside. The broom, which originates from southern Europe, is a welcome guest in natural gardens. Everything you need to know about caring for and cultivating ray broom can be found below.
Origin of Radiant Gorse
The radiant broom originally comes from the southern Alps, the Apennines and the Balkans. There the plant likes to be found in the company of the Scots pine and prefers dry and stony slopes. The plant was first described in the middle of the 18th century. The radiant broom (Genista radiata) is considered a real broom. The plant should not be confused with various plants, which are also known as broom, but belong to other genera. These include, for example, the broom, a representative of the shamrock, the gorse, which belongs to the genus Ulex, or the rush broom from the genus Spartium.
Appearance of Radiant Broom
The radiating appearance of the branches gave the shrub its name. The leaves are threefold and grow opposite. In its natural distribution area, radiant gorse occurs at altitudes of up to 900 meters. The plants grow comparatively fast in all directions. The plant has reached its maximum height when it is about four years old. The flowers are reminiscent of butterflies. While radiant broom blooms golden yellow, other members of the plant family can also boast white, orange, or red flowers.
When does the radiant broom bloom?
The golden yellow flowers appear between May and August. It forms flowers and head-like flower clusters. The single flowers have oneAbout ten centimeters in diameter. The grapes can grow about five centimeters long. Except for a hairy central stripe, the edged flag of the flowers is bare. Up to five seeds resembling lentils are hidden in the densely hairy, dark brown pods.
Planting radiant gorse - you have to pay attention to this
The radiant gorse offers a real enrichment for beds and borders. The plant grows quickly and makes few demands. What you should still consider when planting is explained below.
❍ Location:
The radiant gorse makes no great demands on the location. The plants are used to thriving in nutrient-poor locations. The plant, on the other hand, appreciates a sunny spot. Full sun exposure is well tolerated and promotes profuse flowering. If the radiant broom is planted in the shade, it will lose its much-vaunted lust for growth and will probably not form any flowers.
When choosing a location, it is also important to note that the radiant broom not only expands in height, but also in width. Sufficient distance to plant neighbors is therefore an advantage, because older plants are difficult to move to another location without damaging the plant. Incidentally, the radiant broom feels particularly at home in the company of juniper.
❍ Substrate:
The demands on the floor are low. However, dry soil is a prerequisite, because if the soil is too wet, the roots will quickly rot. A light and permeable soil is advantageous and at the same time prevents waterlogging. The soil should ideally have a pH between 4.5 and 6.5, because the plants thrive particularly well in neutral to slightly acidic soil.
❍ Planting Instructions:
Planting time for the radiant gorse is all year round. So you can plant it on any frost-free day. A little tip: give preference to root ball plants when you buy them, because bare-rooted plants are more sensitive and often grow more poorly. Proceed as follows when planting:
- Select location.
- Loosen the soil and remove weeds and stones.
- Dig a planting hole at least twice the size of the root ball.
- Place plant.
- Fill up the substrate and press down lightly.
- Water well.
Important: Make sure that the irrigation water can drain off well, as the broom does not tolerate waterlogging.
Transplanting radiant gorse - a difficult task
TheThe location of the radiant gorse should be chosen with care, because transplanting usually does not do the shrub well. Young plants are even less sensitive. However, once the roots are firmly anchored in the soil, it becomes difficult to transplant the shrub without damaging the roots, which inevitably leads to the death of the plant. If it is still necessary to move the ball broom, you should carefully dig out the entire root ball. Try not to damage the roots and plant the gorse in its new location immediately.
Keep radiant broom as a container plant
If you don't have a garden and still don't want to do without a ray broom, you can consider cultivating it in a bucket. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
⇒ Since the plants should not be repotted if possible, you must choose a planter of sufficient size.
⇒ Incorrect watering behavior can quickly lead to waterlogging in potted plants. You should therefore provide drainage from potsherds or gravel at the bottom of the container.
⇒ You can place the plant pot in a sunny and warm location. In winter, the container plant should move to a sheltered location and be kept as frost-free as possible.
How to properly care for the radiant broom
Casting:
The radiant gorse makes low demands on the hobby gardener and becomes self-sufficient. The taproots, for example, pull the required moisture out of the ground. Longer periods of drought are therefore usually not a problem for the plants. However, you can water moderately on hot days. However, waterlogging must not occur. Potted plants have a higher water requirement and should therefore be watered regularly. Drainage in the planter prevents waterlogging, which would quickly lead to the death of the plant.
Fertilize:
The plants usually do not need any additional fertilizer because all the nutrients they need are taken up from the soil via the taproots. Commercial liquid fertilizer for flowering plants can be used sparingly to promote flowering.
Pruning:
The luxuriant growth of broom plants is not always to the delight of garden owners. Due to its sprawling branches, ray broom spreads quickly and can form entire colonies through spontaneous rooting of shoots close to the ground. Cutting measures therefore appear unavoidable, but this should be done with care. radical cutseven resents the plant. Therefore, distribute pruning measures between autumn and spring instead of overwhelming the plant with a radical pruning.
If only the tips are slightly pruned, this has a positive effect on the formation of flowers. You can use the annual pruning to bring the ball broom into its typical round shape. A pruning can be done up to about 40 centimeters. This will not detract from flowering. Most of the flowers form on the young shoots in the following year. When pruning, you should also remove old wood at the same time. Old wood is clearly recognizable by its brown colour.
Important: Always wear gardening gloves when cutting gorse. The escaping plant sap can lead to skin irritation and harm allergy sufferers.
Hiberation:
Red broom is generally considered to be robust and hardy. However, this statement cannot be generalized throughout. For some plants, winter protection plays a role:
❍ young plants:
Young plants are even less robust in the first two years after planting and should receive winter protection. If the ground around the roots is covered with brushwood or leaves, these plants will also get through the cold season well.
❍ Potted plants:
Anyone who cultivates broom in pots should remember that potted plants are particularly sensitive to frost. The plants are protected from snow and ice on a wall or house wall. If the plant pot is positioned on a base made of styrofoam or wood, this provides additional frost protection for the sensitive roots.
Propagating radiant broom - Here's how
The propagation of the radiant broom can be done quite easily. There are three methods to choose from, which will be presented in more detail below.
Propagation by cuttings:
The best time for propagation by cuttings is late autumn or early summer. The annual pruning can also be used to obtain cuttings. The cuttings should be brought to a length of 15 to 20 centimeters. The cuttings are then rooted in a planter filled with a mixture of potting soil and sand. This should be done in a bright place and at room temperature. You must then keep the soil evenly moist, but not too wet! The blazing sunlight is also not an advantage for the cuttings. After a few monthshave formed enough roots to place the young plant in the desired outdoor location.
Propagation by seeds:
Another possibility is propagation by seed. You can take the required seeds from the existing plants or buy them in stores. You can then sow the seeds in late summer. Immediate sowing outdoors is also possible, as is drying and storage over the winter and sowing next spring. Proceed as follows:
Keep the seeds evenly moist. A few weeks then elapse before germination. Once the plants have reached a height of about ten centimetres, they can be planted out in the desired location.
Propagation by lowering:
Anyone who already has a mother plant can make propagation particularly easy. If the shoots touch the ground, the radiant broom will quickly form new roots there. You can simply cut off the resulting young plants and replant them directly in a new location.
Recognize diseases and pests on radiant broom
The extremely robust plant has almost no problems with diseases and pests. Occasionally, frost damage can occur due to incorrect overwintering. This can happen, for example, when potted plants have not received winter protection and the sensitive roots are exposed to the cold. Cutting back too late in the fall can also make the plant susceptible to frost damage. If potted plants are overwintered in a sheltered spot and sensitive young plants are given an extra layer of leaves or twigs to protect the roots, you should be able to consistently enjoy he althy, vigorous plants.