Scotch Broom

[kantuckid]

I saw this newish weed yesterday mowing a meadow. It had shiny, flat, dark black seed pods and maybe 3-4' high. Google tells me it's Scotch Broom and seeds live for 5-60 years and so on. First time I've ever seen it on my place. It's illegal in many places and been around since the late 1800's. Actually edible and can be used for brooms, has pretty yellow flowers. i suppose a bird shat it upon my place?  :D 

[SwampDonkey]

Never see it here, but we have another legume (pea-like) that grows in woodlands with a pink flower. Can't recall the name. I see it growing along my woods trail. It's not a vine.

[kantuckid]

Years ago my garden plot in KS was covered with a weed that has similar legume like leaves to Scotch Broom but lacked the same seed heads, but did have yellow flowers and was much smaller , more delicate. This plant had an ominous look to it as I mowed it. 

[Tom King]

We had a lot of it here at one time, but a really hard freeze one Winter killed all of it, or at least that's what we think took it out.  It all disappeared after one Winter.

[clearcut]

Getting a Handle on Broom

From California, but much will be relevant 

You can still find it for sale occasionally in the big box retailers. 

[kantuckid]

Burning bush is the plant besides Privet that seems to be taking over here. In past fews years it's everywhere near me. My neighbor dug up a couple and it's a commercial hedge in nearby Lexington, KY no matter that its illegal many places. 

[SwampDonkey]

As far as woody plants go, we never seem to have any invaders besides boxelder and that needs open sky, so mainly in the river edge and back yards. Never seems to survive the natural woods. It doesn't get tall enough to get the light. We have a few herbs though that have appeared over the years in wetlands or old unkept fields or woods edges. My woods in the fir trees doesn't let anything grow, it's dark under fir. :D