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Help me identify this shrub in my new house yard.

I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in USDA hardiness zone 6/7.

Should I cut it back? When should I do that? Also how can I propagate it?

Picture of plant in bloom:

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    This looks like some kind of broom. I do not know how to distinguish the many broom species, but I will speculate, based on flower color, it is some variety or hybrid of Cytisus scoparius. If you tell us what part of the world it is growing, that might help identify it.
    – Eric Nitardy
    May 25, 2013 at 23:15

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It's a Cytisus, as the others say. As far as pruning goes, clip over the bush lightly immediately after flowering, removing only about an inch of foliage, every year, although while its still young (as this one is) you can take more. Once the plant is bigger, If you cut into old wood, it does not regrow, and if you cut the whole thing back into old wood, it will die. They're fairly short lived shrubs anyway though, compared to other plants.

As this is a hybrid, it will not come true from any seed it may produce, so propagate via semi ripe cuttings with a heel, taken in late summer. Pot up as soon as possible (when they have developed a root system) and pinch the growth out once it reaches about 10 inches to make bushier plants.

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It looks to me that you have a hybrid broom. This might be your answer, the "Lena Scotch Broom".


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  • While this does answer the question, could you please elaborate to address the other issues listed by the OP?
    – yuritsuki
    May 27, 2013 at 21:13

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