Long, spindly sprigs laden with yellow blossoms, clusters of pompoms opening before the first leaves: a handful of shrubs give you all the gold of broom without its invasive habit, and most of them are native to North America. Check which plants are invasive where you garden, and your border will restore habitats instead of threatening them.
The following shrubs are mostly native to North America. As such, they’re usually suitable for planting in your garden, in public spaces or in community gardens across the continent.
Note: these same shrubs might be invasive on other continents, though. For example, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe may see their own environment endangered if these shrubs were planted there.
Several among the following still do come from abroad. For example, cinquefoil is native to Europe and Asia. But its behavior is not invasive at all. When not from America, the shrubs below don’t display aggressive invasive traits, so they’re safe for planting.
Forsythia – Very early bloomers, among the first to greet us in Spring! Long, spindly sprigs laden with beautiful yellow blossoms – this is definitely the plant to send those invasive broom shrubs away! As an added benefit, you can even bundle twigs from the shrub to make garden brooms, too… Picture at top shows what such a shrub looks like in season, marvelous! Excellent look-alike to replace French broom.
Rhododendron luteum – Not truly broom-like, but still bearing a massive cover of yellow flowers, this Azalea variety will shine for nearly a month. Though leaves appear early on in Spring, the blooming covers everything in a blanket of gold that is truly magnificent. Scented like honeysuckle, too! Care is identical to that of Japanese azalea
Dasiphora fruticosa (formerly Potentilla fruticosa) – Very hardy and boasting exceptional yellow blooming. Each cinquefoil flower has five perfectly shaped petals, whence the name comes from.
Kerria japonica – Together with Forsythia mentioned above, Kerria is probably the one that most resembles the invasive broom shrubs we’re trying to replace. In spring, clusters of flowers appear even before leaves do, giving the shrub a distinctive silhouette.
Each branch holds clusters of yellow pompoms, true cheerleaders for Spring to win the game against Winter!
Rosa acicularis var. sayi – This relative of dog-rose shares a delicious scent as it unfurls hundreds upon hundreds of beautiful pink flowers. Size is very similar to that of broom, at most 3 to 5 feet tall (1 to 1.5 meters). You can even use its fruits called hips for their health benefits!
All five shrubs bring the spindly, golden look of broom without its invasive behaviour. Compare them on flowers, how closely they mimic broom, and what else they offer.
| Shrub | Flowers | Resemblance to broom | Extra attraction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forsythia | Yellow blossoms on long, spindly sprigs, from early spring | Excellent look-alike to replace French broom | Twigs can be bundled into garden brooms |
| Rhododendron luteum (yellow azalea) | Massive cover of yellow flowers lasting nearly a month | Not truly broom-like | Scented like honeysuckle |
| Dasiphora fruticosa (shrubby cinquefoil) | Exceptional yellow blooming, five perfect petals per flower | Not broom-shaped, but low and shrubby | Very hardy, and not invasive though from Europe and Asia |
| Kerria japonica | Clusters of yellow pompoms opening before the leaves | Probably the closest match of all, with Forsythia | Distinctive bare-stemmed silhouette in spring |
| Rosa acicularis var. sayi (prickly rose) | Hundreds of scented pink flowers | Same size as broom, 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 metres) | Hips can be used for their health benefits |
Beyond these five, several other native shrubs will do the job just as well.
If you’re willing to depart from the spindly yellow shrubs, you’ll have many more species of shrubs to plant instead of French or Scotch broom. Here are a few of our favorites.
Also blooming with clusters of bead-like yellow flowers, Mahonia is a holly-like evergreen stays beautiful all year round. Leaves are a bit prickly, and its berries are edible (and delicious!). There are several fabulous varieties to choose from, too, such as the Mahonia eurybracteata (like the ‘Soft Caress‘).
Ruscus aculeatus – This low-lying berry shrub has leaves that are very similar to those of French broom. What makes this little guy stand out is the bright red berries. They’re round as perfect marbles! Sprigs make for great brooms, too.
Although native to Europe, it’s not a very aggressive colonizer. It’s not an invasive threat to the Americas.
Double the joy with American elderberry, the fruits of which you can make delicious jam and jelly. This shrub is actually more of a small tree, so you’ll have to prune it to keep it small.
A native of the West Coast, Eleagnus x commutata has wonderful silvery leaves. A fast grower, it is very hardy and can cope with sea spray, too.
It’s important to be aware of which plants may be invasive in your area. A beautiful garden shouldn’t be a threat to the local environment!
