Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Shrubs

Cytisus purpureus 'Atropurpureus'

dark purple broom

A deciduous shrub to 45m tall with small, dark green leaves and pea-like, deep purple flowers borne on the loose, upright to arching stems in May

Synonyms

Chamaecytisus purpureus 'Atropurpureus'
Cytisus purpureus 'Incarnatus'
see moreChamaecytisus purpureus 'Incarnatus'

Save to My plants

Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Sand

Loam

Chalk

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Fabaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Humans/Pets (dogs): Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Cytisus can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, ranging from prostrate to erect and almost tree-like, with small, simple or 3-parted leaves and pea-like flowers spring or summer
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Best grown in well-drained, poor acid soils in full sun. Tolerant of lime but may become chlorotic on shallow chalk soils. Plant when young; brooms resent transplanting

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in late summer or early autumn, or by hardwood cuttings in midwinter

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Low Maintenance
Banks and slopes
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds
Ground cover

Pruning

Pruning group 1 or pruning group 3 but do not cut into old wood

Pests

May be susceptible to broom gall mites

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.