Broom from Chile

[Tony Willis]

I collected seeds of this shrub at very low level in the Maule valley of central Chile where it was growing in great quantity on the hot dry roadside banks. The attraction was the seed pods which are covered in silver hairs and when seen en masse with the sun on it is quite spectacular.A friend has suggested it is a European introduction which has gone wild.

Anybody any ideas.

[Lvandelft]

Tony, today I saw in a friends garden Spartium junceum, (Spanish Broom) which seem to be an invasive weed in many warm countries.
Though your picture does not show the upright habit of Spartium, the flowers look much the same to me.
I made a picture but did not upload till now, but it is a desirable shrub in the garden because it flowers a long time.

[Diane Whitehead]

Spartium has smooth round (tubular) stems, and the
flowers are sweetly scented.

[Tony Willis]

thank you I will check. I do not have it growing in my garden but two friends both have it and i will ask them.

[Oron Peri]

Tony

What about Cytisus scoparius...

[Maggi Young]

I'm with Oron, looks like the broom we  see everywhere: how that stuff has gone around the world. 

[Lvandelft]

Ah, now I have pictures, I see that it is not Spartium, but at the first look yesterday late....
Here is the plant I saw yesterday:
Spartium junceum

[Hans A.]

I agree with Oron and Maggi - at the roadsides in the area of lake Colbun (Maule Valley) Cytisus scoparius  is very common ( and if I remember well  there also was Vitex agnus castus )

[Maggi Young]

The Spartium junceum has invaded many countries also..... it seems to be a habit that runs in the family of these Brooms.


It is interesting how our perception of the "homeland" of someplants can be affected by their capacityto colonise other parts of theworld.
There was a newpaper gardening piece only the other day which talked of Euphorbium pulcherimmum being from Southern Europe.... just because it is seen so often in those countries it is easy to make these assumptions.

[Tony Willis]

thanks for the information I will pass it on to my friends growing the plant