Brooms in Bloom

AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
Scotch Broom was originally introduced in Oregon to help stabilize sand dunes along the coast. Its one of those examples of where good intentions were thoroughly misplaced and the plant has become one of the most prolific invasive species along the coastal regions chocking out native species. It does have an attractive bloom in May from a distance when the hillsides and cliffs take on a bright yellow glow. This is along US101 near the Heceta Head Lighthouse from this morning.

BroomsInBloom.jpg


C&C always welcome.
 
AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
JimFox said:
Yep, sometimes mans best intentions should have required a little more thought.
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Thanks - the intent was to find a plant that could grow in the dune environment to help stabilize them and that part worked quite well. What they didn't count on was how well the plant would do in the rest off the Pacific NW. It thrives in Vancouver too.
 
AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
JimFox said:
Whoops, and that’s a cool looking cliff side though with the yellow.
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The cliff face is directly over the highway so hard to spot from the ground. I noticed it on my screen when I was bringing my drone back from shooting the lighthouse so I just hovered and grabbed a shot :)
 
John Holbrook

John Holbrook

Well-Known Member
Very nice image, Alan. The Scotch Broom does brighten this scene—although invasive, at least it does have one visually rewarding month—kudzu, here in Tennessee, has no redeeming visual appeal—ever!
 
AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
John Holbrook said:
Very nice image, Alan. The Scotch Broom does brighten this scene—although invasive, at least it does have one visually rewarding month—kudzu, here in Tennessee, has no redeeming visual appeal—ever!
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Thanks John - we do have kudzu as well but its not quite as pervasive as the Scott Broom. Neither of those species is even vaguely close to what happened when someone introduced Himalayan Blackberries to the Pacific NW. Blackberries are absolutely everywhere up here and creates impenetrable thickets even in the middle of the freeways.
 
AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
Ken Rennie said:
Alan does your Broom smell like coconut?
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It's been a while since I tried sniffing the Broom thickets. These specimens were about 80 feet over my head. There are several thickets in the Vancouver area and I will check that out next time I am near one of them.
 
BlackRockArt

BlackRockArt

Staff
AlanLichty said:
Scotch Broom was originally introduced in Oregon to help stabilize sand dunes along the coast. Its one of those examples of where good intentions were thoroughly misplaced and the plant has become one of the most prolific invasive species along the coastal regions chocking out native species. It does have an attractive bloom in May from a distance when the hillsides and cliffs take on a bright yellow glow. This is along US101 near the Heceta Head Lighthouse from this morning.

View attachment 48843

C&C always welcome.
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Alan, this is a nice find, the bright yellow patches are like painting.

Oliver
 
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