City Seeks Community Wide Effort to Help Eradicate Scotch Broom

The City of Florence and Dunes City is experiencing a much stronger than usual Scotch Broom (Cytisus Scoparius) growth this year, which has prompted concern from many area residents. Scotch Broom is classified as a “B Rated” Noxious Weed by the Oregon Department if Agriculture. This designation means that the weed has an undesirable economic impact on the State. VitalBodies has seen that digging the plant out roots and all is the best way to remove it. Although the plant is fairly large above the ground, the root ball is not very big.

"Phytochemicals: The plant yields amines (tyramine, dopamine), flavonoids (genistoside, spiracoside and scoparoside) and alkaloids (sparteine, in the twigs, lupanine, in seeds, ammodendrine or hydroxylupanine). It has poisonous flowers but the plant can be used for smoking." - Wikipedia

Credits Most of this information is from a Florence Police Department press release. Illustration of broom from Koehler's Medicinal Plants. (1887).

Scotch Broom is a species known to displace native plants. It readily invades disturbed sites, natural areas, dunes and public and private forest lands. Maintenance of rights-of-way, facilities, parkland and private property costs millions of dollars each year because of rapid growth of young plants and the plant's persistent nature. Seeds of Scotch Broom are long-lived (50 years plus) and mature plants are prolific seed producers, establishing persistent seed banks requiring long-term management objectives. The largest costs attributed to Scotch Broom come from additional inputs needed to establish trees in commercial and public timberlands. It is estimated that Scotch Broom costs Oregon $47 million dollars annually in lost timber production.

"It typically grows to 1-3 m tall, rarely 4 m, with main stems up to 5 cm thick, rarely 10 cm. It has green shoots with small deciduous trifoliate leaves 5-15 mm long, and in spring and summer is covered in profuse golden yellow flowers 20-30 mm from top to bottom and 15-20 mm wide. Flowering occurs after 50-80 growing degree days. In late summer, its legumes (seed pods) mature black, 2-3 cm long, 8 mm broad and 2-3 mm thick; they burst open, often with an audible crack, forcibly throwing seed from the parent plant. It is the hardiest species of broom, tolerating temperatures down to about -25°C " - Wikipedia

Scotch Broom Some say your best bet is to dig it out...

In addition to the above, overgrowth of Scotch Broom can become a fire hazard, and an irritant to those with respiratory disorders or seasonal allergies. Florence City Code prohibits persons from allowing any noxious vegetation to grow on their property. Since this is nearly a City-wide problem, the City of Florence would like to get the message to our residents that everyone needs to step up and help eradicate this invasive plant. If you have any of this destructive weed on your property, please remove it and dispose of it.

Last year the city encouraged residents to rid their property of Scotch Broom and dispose of it on the Saturday, June 19th 2010 Yard Debris Disposal Day at the 27th Street entrance to the Airport before the Scotch Broom seeds mature. After the June 19th date, yard debris containing Scotch Broom will not be accepted during any subsequent Yard Debris Disposal days for the remainder of this year due to this noxious weed going to seed by that time. If residents have Scotch Broom that they need to dispose of it after that date, they will have to take that debris to the County Transfer Station in Florence off of Rhododendron Drive.

The City hopes to have an additional option in the future in being able to accept Scotch Broom year round when it begins to compost bio-solids (the by product from treating sewer) with yard debris grindings. Composting in this manner generates enough heat to kill the seeds.
Any questions may be directed to Code Enforcement Officer Brandon Ott at (541)997-351

1Scotch Broom is classified as a “B Rated” Noxious Weed by the Oregon Department if Agriculture.

2Florence City Code prohibits persons from allowing any noxious vegetation to grow on their property.