Essay On French Broom

French broom is an invasive plant that destroys the surrounding environment. Broom is described as an “upright, evergreen shrub, commonly to ten feet tall” (“Invasive Plants of California’s Wildland”). It is an invasive plant species, commonly found in numerous places in California, for example, the Bay Area. Broom is a noxious weed, especially in the states of Hawaii, Oregon, Washington State and California. Nowadays more people are recognizing how detrimental it can be to nature. In fact, there are a great deal of organizations now devoted to removing French broom and decreasing its accelerating population. French broom can easily be identified by its distinct features and behaviors. It is identified by its silver haired stems and leaves arranged in a trio, and it can grow up to 16 feet tall (“Broom”). The invasive plant can live up till 15 years, making it a very long-lived plant. The most problematic part of the plant are the seeds, as they are very plentiful. These seeds are prone to spreading a great deal, which causes rapid reproduction. Modern studies show that
The history of this plant dates all the way back to the 1800’s, which was when it was first introduced to the Bay Area (“Invasive Plants of California’s Wildland”). People would plant it to enhance the appearance of a garden with its bright yellow, pea-shaped flowers. However, they were unknowingly causing more problems for the environment that would carry through for the next few centuries. Today, the plant is native to countries around the Mediterranean Sea. It has also has heavily spread throughout California and even to parts of Oregon, Washington State, and Hawaii after its introduction ("Plants Profile for Genista Monspessulana"). Unfortunately, the French broom’s deceiving looks can cause humans to contribute to the its spread by planting seeds, without knowing that they are a highly invasive plant