|
Ulex europaeus - L.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Common Name
|
Gorse
|
| Family
|
Leguminosae
|
| Synonyms
|
|
| Known Hazards
|
None known
|
| Habitats
|
Moors, commons and heaths, preferring dry soils[4, 11].
|
| Range
|
Western Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia to Spain.
|
Edibility Rating 
|
|
| Medicinal Rating
|
| | Care
|
|
| Physical Characteristics
|
|
 
A decidious Shrub growing to 1.5 m (5ft) by 1.5 m (5ft) at a fast rate.
It is hardy to zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower from Jan to December, and the seeds ripen from Jan to December. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles.It can fix Nitrogen.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. and can grow in very acid soils.
It cannot grow in the shade.It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
|
|
 |
|
(c) 2010 Ken Fern & Plants For A Future |
 |
|
|
|
| |
| Habitats
|
|
|
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Hedge;
|
| Edible Uses
|
|
Edible Parts: Flowers.
The flower buds are pickled in vinegar and then used like capers in salads[183].
A tea is made from the shoot tips[177, 183].
|
|
|
|
| Medicinal Uses
|
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Bach.
Gorse has never played much of a role in herbal medicine, though its flowers have been used in the treatment of jaundice and as a treatment for scarlet fever in children[4].
The seed is said to be astringent and has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea and stones[4].
The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Hopelessness' and 'Despair'[209].
|
|
| Other Uses
|
Dye; Fertilizer; Fuel; Hedge; Insecticide; Pioneer; Soap making; Soil stabilization; Hedge.
A beautiful yellow dye is obtained from the flowers[4]. It is orange according to another report[168].
Gorse is very tolerant of maritime exposure, it can be used as a windbreak hedge in the most exposed positions, making an impenetrable barrier with its vicious thorns[4, 49, 75, 200].
Planted for soil stabilization on sandy substrates[200], it is very good for stabilizing roadside banks on poor soils[186]. Gorse is an excellent pioneer species for poor soils and areas with maritime exposure. It is fast-growing, feeds the soil with nitrogen and provides good conditions for woodland trees to become established. These trees will eventually out-compete the gorse, which is unable to reproduce well in the shady conditions and will thus gradually die out[K].
The plant has an old reputation as a pesticide, the soaked seed being used against fleas[4].
The wood burns very well, it was much used in the past for kindling, heating bakers ovens etc[11, 66]. The ashes from the burnt wood are rich in potassium and can be used in making soap[4, 115]. This soap can be made by mixing the ashes with a vegetable oil, or mixing them with clay and forming them into balls[4]. The ashes are also an excellent fertilizer[4, 115].
|
|
| Cultivation details
|
|
|
An easily grown plant, it requires a poor soil and a sunny position to be at its best[11]. It does well on dry sunny banks or in poor gravelly soils[11]. It is intolerant of shade, nor does it do well on rich soils[11, 182]. Prefers a neutral to slightly acid soil[200], disliking alkaline soils[17]. Plants are very intolerant of root disturbance[11]. Very tolerant of maritime exposure and, once established, drought[75, 186, 200].
Although native to Britain and said to be hardy to about -20°c[184], gorse often suffers badly in severe winters[4, 17], but the plants usually recover[186]. They often accumulate dry dead spines at their centre, this can be a fire risk in dry summers[186, 200]. The plants often resprout from the base after a fire[200] and, even if killed, numerous seedlings will soon spring up to replace the dead plants[186].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200].
The flowers are strongly scented of coconut[K]. Another report says that the flowers have a smell of vanilla with undertones of orange or pineapple[245]. It is one of the most refreshing of all flower scents[245].
A food plant for the caterpillars of several lepidoptera species[30]. Plants often form dense thickets and these are ideal nesting areas for many species of birds[186].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].
|
|
|
|
|
| Propagation
|
|
|
Seed - pre-soak 24 hours in hot water and sow in individual pots in a greenhouse in late winter to early spring. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Plants are very intolerant of root disturbance and so should be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible, though not until after the last expected frosts[78].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Pot up in spring as soon as rooting commences and plant out into their permanent positions as soon as possible[78].
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Botanical References
|
|
| 1117200
|
|
|
|
|
| Links / References
|
|
[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
| [4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
|
| Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
|
|
| [11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
|
| A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
|
|
| [17]Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles.
|
| A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
|
|
| [30]Carter D. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe.
|
| An excellent book on Lepidoptera, it also lists their favourite food plants.
|
|
| [49]Arnold-Forster. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.
|
| Trees and shrubs that grow well in Cornwall and other mild areas of Britain. Fairly good, a standard reference book.
|
|
| [66]Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery.
|
| Very readable, giving details on plant uses based on the authors own experiences.
|
|
| [75]Rosewarne experimental horticultural station. Shelter Trees and Hedges.
|
| A small booklet packed with information on trees and shrubs for hedging and shelterbelts in exposed maritime areas.
|
|
| [78]Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
|
| A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
|
|
| [115]Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
|
| Written about a hundred years ago, but still a very good guide to the useful plants of Britain.
|
|
| [168]Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants.
|
| A very good and readable book on dyeing.
|
|
| [177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.
|
| An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
|
|
| [182]Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos.
|
| Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
|
|
| [183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
|
| Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
|
|
| [184]Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs.
|
| Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1900 species and cultivars.
|
|
| [186]Beckett. G. and K. Planting Native Trees and Shrubs.
|
| An excellent guide to native British trees and shrubs with lots of details about the plants.
|
|
| [200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
|
| Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
|
|
| [209]Chancellor. P. M. Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies
|
| Details the 38 remedies plus how and where to prescribe them.
|
|
| [245]Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World.
|
| An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rate This Plant |
|
|
Please rate this plants for how successful you have found it to be. You will need
to be logged in to do this. Our intention is not to create a list of 'popular' plants
but rather to highlight plants that may be rare and unusual and that have been found
to be useful by website users. This hopefully will encourage more people to use
plants that they possibly would not have considered before. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Add a comment/link
|
|
|
If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at admin@pfaf.org. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.
* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Discussion Monitor
|
|
To have posts to this page mailed to you enter your email address here:
(Your email address will not appear on the
webpage or be passed on to third parties).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|