Scotch broom invades dry hillsides, pastures, forest clearings, dry scrublands, dry riverbeds, and waterways.
However, it does not tend to survive in very arid or cold areas. Scotch broom flourishes in full sunlight in dry, sandy soils, but it can survive under a wide variety of soil conditions. Later, it was used for erosion control along highway cuts and fills. From the 1850s through the early 1900s, Scotch broom was frequently planted in gardens. Native to northern Africa and parts of Europe, it was first introduced to North America on the east coast and was later introduced to California as an ornamental. Scotch broom ( Cytisus scoparius) is found along the east and west coasts of North America and in Idaho, Montana, and Utah. Fruit is a brownish-black pod with hairs only along the seams.Small leaves occur together in groups of three.Scotch broom is a shrub with bright yellow flowers and stiff, slender branches.
