Cytisus Explained

Cytisus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, native to open sites (typically scrub and heathland) in Europe, western Asia and North Africa. It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae, and is one of several genera in the tribe Genisteae which are commonly called brooms. They are shrubs producing masses of brightly coloured, pea-like flowers, often highly fragrant.^[1] Members of the segregate genera Calicotome, Chamaecytisus, and Lembotropis are sometimes included in Cytisus.^[2]

Species

, Kew's Plants of the World Online accepted the following species and natural hybrids:

Award of Garden Merit cultivars

Species have been widely cultivated and hybridised, and the following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:

• Cytisus × beanii ^[3]
• Cytisus × boskoopii 'Boskoop Ruby'^[4] (deep crimson flowers,)
• Cytisus × boskoopii 'Zeelandia'^[5] (lilac, pink and cream flowers,)
• Cytisus 'Burkwoodii'^[6] (cerise red or crimson red and yellow edged flowers,^[7])
• Cytisus 'Hollandia'^[8] (red and pale cream flowers,^[7])
• Cytisus × kewensis^[9] (Cytisus ardoinii × Cytisus multiflorus; small, prostrate shrub with cream flowers)
• Cytisus 'Lena' ^[10]
• Cytisus nigricans 'Cyni'^[11]
• Cytisus × praecox 'Allgold'^[12] (yellow flowers)
• Cytisus × praecox 'Warminster' ^[13] (pale yellow flowers)

Notes and References

1. Book: RHS A–Z encyclopedia of garden plants. 2008. Dorling Kindersley. United Kingdom. 978-1405332965. 1136.
2. Web site: ILDIS LegumeWeb entry for Cytisus . . International Legume Database & Information Service . Cardiff School of Computer Science & Informatics . 17 April 2014 .
3. Web site: Cytisus × beanii . RHS . 5 May 2020.
4. Web site: RHS Plant Selector—Cytisus × boskoopii 'Boskoop Ruby'. 15 April 2020.
5. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Cytisus × boskoopii 'Zeelandia'. 15 April 2020.
6. Web site: RHS Plant Selector—Cytisus 'Burkwoodii'. 15 April 2020.
7. Andy McIndoe
8. Web site: RHS Plant Selector—Cytisus 'Hollandia'. 15 April 2020.
9. Web site: RHS Plant Selector—Cytisus × kewensis. 15 April 2020.
10. Web site: Cytisus 'Lena' . RHS . 5 May 2020.
11. Web site: Cytisus nigricans 'Cyni' . RHS . 5 May 2020.
12. Web site: RHS Plant Selector—Cytisus ×praecox 'Allgold'. 15 April 2020.
13. Web site: RHS Plant Selector—Cytisus × praecox 'Warminster'. 15 April 2020.