White spanish broom
StarCytisus multiflorus
Synonyms: Cytisus lusitanicus, Cytisus incarnatus, Spartium album, Sarothamnus albus, Genista multiflora, Spartium multiflorum, Lugaion multiflorum, Cytisus linkii, Cytisus albus var. incarnatus, Sarothamnus multiflorus, Cytisus multiflorus f. incarnatus, Spartium dispermum, Spartium multiflorum var. incarnatum, Genista disperma, Spartotamnus albus, Sarothamnus parviflorus, Retama albiflora, Genista madagascariensis, Corothamnus multiflorus, Genista alba, Cytisus albus var. roseus, Laburnum album, Spartocytisus albus
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Iberian (Portuguese and Spanish) folk medicine, infusions, decoctions and tonics prepared from the fresh or shade-dried flowers of white broom are used for respiratory, gastrointestinal and skin complaints and have also been taken to help control diabetes and cholesterol (Portuguese ethnobotanical / folk-medicine references; Castro et al., 2022). Caution: all parts contain toxic quinolizidine alkaloids (sparteine, cytisine) and improperly prepared broom tea has caused fatal poisoning.
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Botanical Description
Cytisus multiflorus, the white Spanish broom or white broom, is a deciduous leguminous shrub native to the Iberian Peninsula, where it is common in central and northern Portugal and central and northern Spain. It grows to about 1.5–3 m tall, forming a dense, much-branched bush of slender, erect, green, somewhat angled twigs that carry out much of the plant's photosynthesis. The small leaves are usually reduced and trifoliate or single, often falling early, leaving the green stems prominent. In spring the shrub becomes covered in numerous small, fragrant, white pea-shaped flowers borne along the branches, giving rise to the epithet "multiflorus." The fruit is a small, flattened, hairy pod that turns dark and splits explosively to scatter the seeds. All parts of the plant contain toxic quinolizidine alkaloids, principally sparteine and cytisine. It typically grows on dry, acidic, sandy or rocky soils, on slopes, scrubland and woodland margins.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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