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pinksand
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Sweet Broom Alternative

We purchased a sweet broom shrub over the weekend after falling in love with the fragrant bright yellow flowers. THIS is why I need to always do my research before buying... apparently they're a menace!

I'm ready to dig the thing back up and return it, but wanted to seek some advice. Does anyone have experience or knowledge of these shrubs? I'm in zone 7a, and they're apparently not even hardy to my zone. :roll: What a terrible purchase!

It looks like alternatives I found online are forsythia and winter jasmine. I prefer winter jasmine's longer bloom time, but wanted to be sure it isn't also invasive! I'm hoping for something that can be maintained around 5 ft tall and can stand full sun.
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pinksand
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I just wanted to add the botanical name: Genista Racemosa
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applestar
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Hmm... Winter jasmine I believe is native to China.

Have your tried looking for native shrubs and perennials?
I used to have a good link to a Virginia Native Plants society but it's not handy now and I would have to search for it.

Here's this one: https://www.audubonva.org/index.php/audu ... -your-yard

I had sweet broom for a while... Long before I started paying attention to their native status. It was lovely and a bee/pollinator magnet, and it's a nitrogen fixer, but fortunately it died. :wink:

5 ft tall and full sun.... Do you want it to bloom around this time of the year?
What about dwarf sweet magnolia? (I believe there is a yellow cultivar if that's what you want) It might get to a bit over 5 ft. I have a pink/magenta cultivar. Name escapes me at the moment. Right now it's in full bloom with a clump of same color hyacinths and purple grape hyacinths and an Eastern Redbud sapling. I want to get more hyacinth to surround that island bed, and something else that would bloom now to balance the color scheme.
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pinksand
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Thanks for the suggestion and link applestar! I'll be using that as a reference :)

I LOVE the dwarf magnolias! I've had secret plans to plant a magnolia in our backyard and am very happy to discover there are dwarf varieties that might be a bit more practical!

I'm thinking of something a bit more shrubby for the space where I have the broom. I was particularly hoping for yellow, hence the non-natives I mentioned, since they were all I could find in a search for alternatives. However, some alternatives that might work in the space would be a redtwig dogwood, purple beautyberry, or dwarf oakleaf hydrangea. What do you think about one of those?

I already have azeleas, abelias, nandina, golden cypress, and dogwood in the space so I think that the bloom time for what I'm looking for could vary and doesn't necessarily need to be Spring.
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applestar
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OK, how about Clethra (Summer Sweet) or Virginia Sweetspire? There is a pink cultivar summer sweet (I think it's called 'Ruby Hummingbird' or something similar) that is exquisitely fragrant. I have the species Summer Sweet right now and I have my sights on the pink one. I may get it at a Native Plant Sale this year if they have it.

Virginia Sweetspire takes more sun though.

...it's a bit of a mess right now :roll: I hesitate to post this... But here are pics of my magnolia island bed. Dwarf magnolia is probably 6-7ft tall.
Image
Image

Oh, the color tone is wrong, the grape Hyacinthus not that blue, more violet purple. :|
...but you get the idea :wink:
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pinksand
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I really like the virginia sweetspire. You can never go wrong with white blooms :)

Your magnolia is perfect! They're just finishing up blooming here and I miss them already :(
WildcatNurseryman
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I have a true dwarf Forsythia called 'Gold Tide' that I have been very happy with. Requires little to no pruning and has a really nice maroon Fall color. It has been planted for 6-8 years from a #3 and it is 3' x 4'.
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pinksand
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I returned the sweet broom last week and have been browsing the nurseries for a replacement, jotting down names and researching this time. My husband doesn't like the sweetspire, he said it looks like the bush was attacked by silly string :roll: I still love it! He'd really like to plant a "Miss Kim" dwarf lilac, but I'm concerned that our zone may be too hot/humid for one to thrive...? I'll keep an eye out for the 'Gold Tide' forsythia. I'm going to take my time until I find something we can agree on :)


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