Hairy greenweed
Genista pilosa · Fabaceae
📷 Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around hairy greenweed and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Scientific name
- Genista pilosa
- Family
- Fabaceae (legumes)
- Foliage
- Deciduous, fine and soft
- Flowering
- April to June, golden yellow flowers
- Mature size
- 50 cm tall, spreading and compact habit
- Growth
- Fast
- Hardiness
- Very hardy (down to -15 °C)
- Origin
- Western and central Europe
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Calcifuge broom, but less demanding than heather: tolerates slightly acidic to neutral soil. Poor, well-drained soils.
The common mistake
Planting it in a pot or overly rich/watered soil: it rots easily with poor drainage.
The pro's trick
After flowering, trim only the green tips to keep the plant dense and cushioned.
Care
Exposure
Hairy broom requires full sun to thrive and flower generously. Avoid shade or partial shade, which would reduce flowering. Plant it in a well-exposed, airy location protected from strong prevailing winds.
Watering
Very frugal with water once established, this broom tolerates drought well. Water regularly during the first year after planting to promote rooting, then gradually reduce. In very hot summers, occasional watering is sufficient.
Soil
Prefers well-drained, light and poor soil, even gravelly. Absolutely avoid heavy, clay or overly damp soils that promote root rot. Acidic to neutral soil is ideal; limestone is not a problem.
Fertilizer
No fertilizer is needed. As a legume, it fixes nitrogen from the air and adapts to poor soils. Excess fertilizer would promote vegetation at the expense of flowering.
Pruning and cleanup
Perform light pruning after flowering (June-July) to maintain the compact shape and open up the center. Remove dead or diseased branches. Avoid severe pruning which weakens the plant; gentle intervention is enough.
Diseases and pests
Very robust and rarely affected by diseases. In damp soil, there is a risk of root rot. No major pests usually affect it. The main cause of failure is excess moisture.
Did you know?
Hairy broom has long been used in western Europe to stabilize slopes and poor land thanks to its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen through root nodules. It is a true 'pioneer' of degraded environments, capable of gradually adding fertility to exhausted soils. Its French nickname 'hairy' comes from the fine hairiness that covers its young shoots.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Chinese wisteriaWisteria sinensis
- Common broomCytisus scoparius
- Black locustRobinia pseudoacacia
- Common PeaLathyrus oleraceus
- Honey locustGleditsia triacanthos
- Strawberry cloverTrifolium fragiferum
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.