Description
Chamaecytisus –
There are about 30 species of fast growing, short lived, evergreen and deciduous, occasionally spiny, small trees, shrubs, and subshrubs, in this genus. They mainly occur on hillsides and in open woodland from sea level to 7,000′ feet high in Eurasia, and the Canary Islands. They have alternate, 3 palmate leaves, sometimes with softly hairy, leaflets, and are grown for their clusters of pea like, usually yellow, sometimes purple to pink shades or white flowers. Grow on a sunny bank or in a shrub border, rock garden, trough, or raised bed.
Tolerant of a range of soil types, including poor, dry soil, nitrogen poor, but not shallow, alkaline soil in full sun. They resent root disturbance, hard pruning since plant seldom recover fully.
C. hirustus – This small shrub from Europe produces leaves covered in very silky hairy undersides of the leaflets and sparsely covering above. In late spring into summer it bears bright yellow flowers which are relatively large. Suitable for a rock garden and it’s prostrate forms are very popular
Zones 6-10
