White Spanish broom (Cytisus multiflorus)

White Spanish broom is a large shrub. It is difficult to control, and has become problematic in Victoria and South Australia.

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How does this weed affect you?

White Spanish broom is a serious environmental weed in Victoria and is targeted for eradication. Like all brooms, it invades a wide range of fertile soils where it can fix nitrogen and form a dense scrub layer that outcompetes native species. It also provides shelter for feral animals and its seeds are poisonous. In pastures white Spanish broom forms thickets that prevent grazing and restrict access to water. 

Where is it found?

White Spanish broom is native to Portugal, Spain and France. It has also been introduced as an ornamental in India, Australia, Italy, United States, New Zealand and Argentina. In Australia it has become a weed and is quite common in central Victoria. It has been eradicated from the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. 

How does it spread?

White Spanish broom generally spreads by seed, with most seed falling within 1 m of the parent plants. It may be spread over longer distances by movement of seed by water or in mud attached to vehicles, machinery, footwear and animals. Like many legumes, white Spanish broom is hard seeded and the seeds remain viable for a long time in the soil, probably as long as the seed of the closely related C. scoparius (Scotch broom), which is still viable 20 years after being dropped. Germination of C. scoparius seed is greatest once the hard seed coat is breached by fire, and this mechanism is also likely to be required by white Spanish broom. Infestations may also spread locally through plant pieces taking root. 

What does it look like?

White Spanish broom is a large shrub which grows to 3 m high and has striped green stems.

The leaves are arranged in groups of three leaflets on lower branches and a single leaflet on higher branches. Young stems and leaves are covered with short hairs which are lost as the plant ages. White Spanish broom has finer, greyer foliage than broom.

Both the flowers and seed pods are pea-like. The flowers are white with a pink streak at the base and 9–12 mm long. The seed pods are covered with short hairs and are generally 15–27 mm long and 4–7 mm wide. The pods turn black when mature and release seeds explosively when ripe. Each pod contains between three and seven seeds, which are 2.5–3.0 mm long and olive to brown in colour. 

What type of environment does it grow in?

Little is known of the environmental requirements of white Spanish broom. As a weed, it is known to enter relatively undisturbed bushland. In Australia it has spread from lakeside plantings into roadsides and townships, but it could also establish in a wide range of disturbed and undisturbed habitats such as grasslands and open eucalypt woodlands. 

Acknowledgements

CRC for Australian Weed Management: Andy Sheppard (CSIRO/Weeds CRC), John Hosking (NSW Agriculture/Weeds CRC), Eddie Talbot (West Coast Weed Strategy, Tasmania), Michael Hansford (Vic DPI) and John Thorp (National Weeds Management Facilitator). 

More information

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Control

Because there are relatively few white Spanish broom infestations, and it can potentially be eradicated before it becomes established, any new outbreaks should be reported immediately to your local council weed officer. Do not try to control white Spanish broom without their expert assistance. Control effort that is poorly performed or not followed up can actually help spread the weed and worsen the problem.

Although there has only been relatively limited research into the effectiveness of different control methods on white Spanish broom, field tests have shown that it is relatively easy to kill by using mechanical and physical removal, herbicides and burning. The methods that are useful on broom (C. scoparius) will also be effective for white Spanish broom, including the ‘cut and mulch’ method outlined in the case study above and recently used in Tasmania. Note, however, that any attempted control of white Spanish broom should be undertaken cooperatively with your local council and or neighbours.

Mechanical and physical removal

Physical removal is an option for isolated plants, particularly if they have not seeded. Bulldozing infestations into heaps and burning the resulting weed mounds has been a common method used to control broom but it only provides a temporary solution. Bulldozing causes massive soil disturbance and physical movement of plants, not only burying seeds but also spreading them beyond the original infestation. In at least one place this practice and a lack of follow-up monitoring and control has exacerbated the broom problem.

Herbicides

Herbicides offer control of broom, especially in preventing spread from small isolated patches, but there are currently no herbicides that are registered for use on white Spanish broom. For more information on the use of herbicides contact your local council weed officer.

Fire

Fire is a useful tool in controlling broom and managing the large, long-lived seedbank. In a farming situation fire can remove the bulk of plants and encourage germination of broom seed stored in the soil. The intensity of the fire is very important – it needs to be hot enough to stimulate the bulk of the broom seedbank but not too hot as to destroy the native seedbank. With enough light and moisture, broom seedlings will quickly re-establish and the site will become covered in a thicket of broom again, which must be controlled before flowering. Natural revegetation from native seeds can then occur; otherwise, sowing of suitable pasture species may be required. Fire is relatively cost-effective, although it may require grasses as fuel, thus reducing pastoral productivity. Permits may be required to light fires.

Grazing

Grazing with goats or sheep is suitable for pasture, especially on new growth following fire. Fencing areas of broom into small paddocks and grazing these areas with goats has been successful.

Follow-up

Once an area of broom has been treated, it will be necessary to monitor the area for many years and to control any new plants, even in areas where there is good revegetation.

Herbicide options

See Using herbicides for more information.

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Fluroxypyr 200 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 500 mL to 1 L per 100 L water
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Do not graze failed crops and treated pastures or cut for stock feed for 7 days after application. See label for further information.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Fluroxypyr 200 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 35 mL per L diesel/kerosene
Comments: Basal bark
Withholding period: Do not graze failed crops and treated pastures or cut for stock feed for 7 days after application. See label for further information.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Fluroxypyr 333 g/L (Starane™ Advanced)
Rate: 300 to 600 mL per 100 L water
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Do not graze failed crops and treated pastures or cut for stock food for 7 days after application. See label for more information.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Fluroxypyr 333 g/L (Starane™ Advanced)
Rate: 21 mL per L diesel/kerosene
Comments: Basal bark
Withholding period: Do not graze failed crops and treated pastures or cut for stock food for 7 days after application. See label for more information.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: One part product to 50 parts water
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: One part product to 9 parts water
Comments: Splatter gun
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: One part product to 20 parts water
Comments: Wipe onto leaves
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg (Various products)
Rate: 10 - 20 g per 100 L water plus surfactant
Comments: Spot spray
Withholding period: Nil (recommended not to graze for 7 days before treatment and for 7 days after treatment to allow adequate chemical uptake in target weeds).
Herbicide group: 2 (previously group B), Inhibition of acetolactate and/or acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS, AHAS inhibitors)
Resistance risk: High

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PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg (Various products)
Rate: 10 g per 1 L of water plus surfactant
Comments: Wipe onto leaves
Withholding period: Nil (recommended not to graze for 7 days before treatment and for 7 days after treatment to allow adequate chemical uptake in target weeds).
Herbicide group: 2 (previously group B), Inhibition of acetolactate and/or acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS, AHAS inhibitors)
Resistance risk: High

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Biosecurity duty

The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.

Area	Duty
All of NSW	General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable.

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Reviewed 2018