Moroccan Broom is a striking silver-leafed shrub that brings an exotic elegance to warm-climate gardens. Native to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, this legume family member grows 10 to 20 feet tall and wide, clothed in fine silver-gray hairs that catch the light beautifully. From June through August, it erupts in cone-shaped clusters of deep yellow, pea-shaped flowers with an unmistakable pineapple fragrance that stops visitors in their tracks. Hardy in zones 7 through 10, it handles heat, drought, and poor soils with remarkable ease, making it a sophisticated choice for gardeners seeking drama without fuss.
Full Sun
Moderate
7-10
240in H x 120in W
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High
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The pineapple-scented yellow flowers are this shrub's calling card, blooming in dense, upright spikes that can reach 6 inches long. Its silvery foliage remains evergreen to semi-deciduous depending on your climate, creating a luminous backdrop even when flowers fade. Unlike its aggressive common broom cousins, Moroccan Broom won't self-seed and spread aggressively through your landscape, yet it still earns its place as a show-stopping focal point that deer and rabbits leave untouched.
Moroccan Broom serves primarily as an ornamental shrub, valued for its dramatic late-summer blooms and architectural silver foliage. It works beautifully as a specimen plant in beds and borders, particularly in xeriscaped gardens where its drought tolerance and distinctive appearance earn it recognition. The plant's fragrant flowers and showy fruiting bodies add sensory and visual interest across multiple seasons.
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Soak seeds overnight or scarify before sowing indoors to improve germination rates. Start seeds in a warm location 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date in spring, once they've acclimated to outdoor light and temperature conditions.
Direct sow scarified or overnight-soaked seeds outdoors after the last frost date in full sun and well-drained soil.
Renewal pruning helps maintain an attractive form and vigorous growth. Prune in spring or after flowering to shape the shrub and encourage dense branching. Remove any dead or damaged wood to keep the plant healthy and visually appealing.
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“Argyrocytisus battandieri hails from the forested regions of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, where it evolved to thrive in challenging mountain conditions. The plant was eventually introduced to cultivation in temperate regions, where gardeners in zones 7 and warmer discovered it could handle heat, drought, and poor soil with aplomb. Its common name, pineapple broom, references both its aromatic flowers and its membership in the broom family, though unlike the common broom that has become invasive in many areas, Moroccan Broom remains a well-behaved garden citizen.”