Ecology and Management of Invasive Scotch Broom

Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) is a drought-resistant shrub native to Europe. Scotch broom infestations are increasingly common in the western United States and notoriously difficult to control. Infestations are estimated to cost the Pacific Northwest’s timber industry millions of dollars per year and negatively affect the region’s native ecosystems.

This storymap describes the invasion ecology of scotch broom and reviews removal considerations and treatment options. It also reports on research underway at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State to control a large and expanding Scotch broom invasion. The research partnership includes the Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, Michigan State University, and the Department of Defense Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program. As part of that effort, researchers are comprehensively assessing Scotch broom control methods and the impacts of Scotch broom on ecosystem properties that influence recovery.

Click here to view the storymap in full-screen.