California Invasive Plant Council

Spartium junceum

Common names: Spanish broom

Spartium junceum (Spanish broom) is a deciduous shrub (family Fabaceae) found throughout the western part of California. Spanish broom was introduced as a landscape ornamental and was planted along highways to prevent soil erosion. It may grow into monospecific stands, excluding native species. Broom is unpalatable to most livestock except goats, so it decreases rangeland value, while increasing fire hazards. These leguminous plants produce copious amounts of seed, and may resprout from the root crown if cut or grazed.

Cal-IPC Rating: High?

Explanation of Cal-IPC ratings

• High – These species have severe ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure. Their reproductive biology and other attributes are conducive to moderate to high rates of dispersal and establishment. Most are widely distributed ecologically.
• Moderate – These species have substantial and apparent-but generally not severe-ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure. Their reproductive biology and other attributes are conducive to moderate to high rates of dispersal, though establishment is generally dependent upon ecological disturbance. Ecological amplitude and distribution may range from limited to widespread.
• Limited – These species are invasive but their ecological impacts are minor on a statewide level or there was not enough information to justify a higher score. Their reproductive biology and other attributes result in low to moderate rates of invasiveness. Ecological amplitude and distribution are generally limited, but these species may be locally persistent and problematic.
• Alert – An Alert is listed on species with High or Moderate impacts that have limited distribution in California, but may have the potential to spread much further.
• Watch – These species have been assessed as posing a high risk of becoming invasive in the future in California.

CDFA Rating: -*?

Explanation of CDFA ratings

• A – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and is either not known to be established in California or it is present in a limited distribution that allows for the possibility of eradication or successful containment.
• B – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is of limited distribution.
• C – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is usually widespread.
• D – An organism known to be of little or no economic or environmental detriment, to have an extremely low likelihood of weediness, or is known to be a parasite or predator.
• Q – An organism or disorder suspected to be of economic or environmental detriment, but whose status is uncertain because of incomplete identification or inadequate information.
• * – An asterisk next to the rating indicates that a plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds.
• -* – This plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds, but is otherwise not rated.

More details

Assessment(s)

Plant Assessment Form - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.

Species ID Card

Invasive Species ID Card - To support field identification of early detection species, Cal-IPC has designed a set of Species ID cards that can be downloaded, printed double-sided, and trimmed to size.

Weed Management Notes

• Management Notes - Information on management techniques and effectiveness from the University of California Cooperative Extension’s Weed Research & Information Center.

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

• Are we making progress? A bird's-eye view of change in invasive plant cover in central-coastal Orange County. Burger, Jutta C.. Vol 27, Issue 2
• Eradication in the central Sierra. Cal-IPC. Vol 24, Issue 1
• Scotch broom gall mite: a new partner in broom management . Oneto, Scott. Vol 23, Issue 3
• Successful Spanish broom control in San Diego. James, Robert A.. Vol 21, Issue 3
• Taking to the air to locate, prioritize and treat effectively. Burger, Jutta C.. Vol 21, Issue 2
• Prioritizing Regional Response to Invasive Plants in the Sierra Nevada. Brusati, Elizabeth; Morawitz, Dana; Powell, Cynthia. Vol 19, Issue 2
• Hands-on learning in Chico. Smith-Peters, Lise. Vol 17, Issue 3
• Recommended action on invasive ornamentals. Cal-IPC. Vol 14, Issue 1
• Don’t sell a pest: A new partnership to prevent plant invasions through horticulture. Connick, Sarah; Gerel, Mike. Vol 13, Issue 2
• The basal bark method of applying triclopyr herbicide. Neill, Bill; Angeles, Team Arundo. Vol 13, Issue 1
• International broom initiative: A comprehensive broom and gorse biological control effort. CalEPPC. Vol 09, Issue 2

Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations

Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.

• Control of invasive plants after the Scorpion Fire on Santa Cruz Island. Woolsey, Jay; Parker, Mike; Carter, Katy; Little, Annie; Cowan, Clark (2022)
• Developing a post-fire EDRR framework. Quon, Lauren; Fitch, Robert; Laskey, Hailey (2022)
• Tackling invasive plants after the 2020 Angeles National Forest fire season. Castro, Andrew (2022)
• A flora of the Chiquito Springs Basin in the Santa Ana Mountains, California. McGowan, Harrison (2020)
• A test of the herbicide Weed Slayer for the control of invasive plants. Thomas, Don (2020)
• Mapping weeds and rare plants to inform management and conservation in the Zaca and Jesusita fires. Calloway, Stephanie; Schneider, Heather; Knapp, Denise (2018)
• The Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project. Reinoehl, Steven; Zaich, Craig (2010)
• Genetic identity and phylogenetic relationships of invasive brooms in California. Kleist, Annabelle; Jasieniuk, Marie (2009)
• Partnering to prevent invasions of plants of horticultural origin. Connick, Sarah; Gerel, Mike (2004)

Other Spartium junceum Information

• Bugwood - National database from the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.
• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Calflora - Distribution map and records of this species in California.
• CalWeedMapper - Distribution map of this species in California with ability to determine regional priorities.
• EDDMapS - Distribution of this species in North America.
• Jepson Interchange - Information on this plant's taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.
• USDA PLANTS Database - Information on identification and distribution, with links to websites in individual states.

Additional photos