Genista monspessulana
System : Terrestrial
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Plantae
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliopsida
Fabales
Fabaceae
  • General
  • Distribution
  • Impact
  • Management
  • Bibliography
  • Contact
Common name
Cape broom (English), Montpellierbrem (Afrikaans), Montpellier broom (English), soft broom (English), French broom (English), Canary broom (English)
Synonym
Cytisus monspessulanus , L.
Cytisus monspessulanus , var. umbellulatus (Webb) Briq.
Teline candicans , var. umbellulatus Webb & Berthel.
Teline monspessulana , (L.) K. Koch
Similar species
Summary
The evergreen shrub Genista monspessulana, commonly known as French broom or Cape broom is capable of forming dense thickets in native vegetation, on grazing land, roadsides etc. These dense infestations can exclude native species. They are toxic to cattle if grazed excessively. French broom also increase fire fuel-loads in agricultural areas and in native vegetation. Fire stimulates seed germination by breaking the dormancy of soil-stored seed resulting in dense recruitment of seedlings. A small percentage of seeds are also capable of germinating on exposure to suitable temperature and soil moisture conditions. This variation in seed dormancy and germination increases the difficulty of control.

Principal source:

Compiler: National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) & IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)

Review:

Publication date: 2011-04-27

Recommended citation: Global Invasive Species Database (2025) Species profile: Genista monspessulana. Downloaded from http://iucngisd.org/gisd/speciesname/Genista+monspessulana on 05-02-2025.

Countries (or multi-country features) with distribution records for Genista monspessulana
NATIVE RANGE
  • albania
  • algeria
  • ex-yugoslavia
  • france
  • georgia
  • greece
  • italy
  • lebanon
  • morocco
  • portugal
  • spain
  • turkey
Informations on Genista monspessulana has been recorded for the following locations. Click on the name for additional informations.
Lorem Ipsum
Location Status Invasiveness Occurrence Source
Details of Genista monspessulana in information
Status
Invasiveness
Arrival date
Occurrence
Source
Introduction
Species notes for this location
Location note
Management notes for this location
Impact
Mechanism:
Outcome:
Ecosystem services:
Impact information
Red List assessed species 0:
Management information
Locations
UNITED STATES
Management Category
Prevention
Bibliography
27 references found for Genista monspessulana

Management information
Alexander, Janice M.; D Antonio, Carla M., 2003. Seed bank dynamics of French broom in coastal California grasslands: Effects of stand age and prescribed burning on control and restoration. Restoration Ecology. 11(2). June 2003. 185-197.
Chan, Kathleen L.; Turner, Charles E., 1998. Discovery of the gall mite Aceria genistae (Nalepa) (Acarina: Eriophyidae) on gorse and French broom in the United States. Pan-Pacific Entomologist. 74(1). Jan., 1998. 55-57.
Corbin D. Jeffrey & Carla M. D Antonio, 2004. Effects of Exotic Species on Soil Nitrogen Cycling: Implications for Restoration. Weed Technology December 2004 : Vol. 18, Issue sp1, pg(s) 1464-1467
Department of Primary Industries Victoria, 2009. Application for the approval of a host test list for the Leaf beetle Gonioctena olivacea, a potential biological control agent for Scotch broom, Cytisus scoparius subsp. scoparius
Summary: Available from: http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/1278872/Gonioctena_olivacea_application.pdf [Accessed 9 May 2011]
DiTomaso, Joseph M.; Brooks, Matthew L.; Allen, Edith B.; Minnich, Ralph; Rice, Peter M.; Kyser, Guy B., 2006. Control of invasive weeds with prescribed burning. Weed Technology. 20(2). APR-JUN 2006. 535-548.
D�Antonio M. Carla, Eric L. Berlow, and Karen L. Haubensak, 2004. Invasive Exotic Plant Species in Sierra Nevada Ecosystems USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-193. 2004.
Summary: Available from: http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/psw_gtr193/psw_gtr193_5_2_DAntonio.pdf [Accessed 9 May 2011]
Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW), 2011. Genista monspessulana (Fabaceae)
Summary: Available from: http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/genista_monspessulana/ [Accessed 9 May 2011]
Herrera M. Angelica, Raymond I. Carruthers, Nicholas J. Mills, 2011b. No evidence for increased performance of a specialist psyllid on invasive French broom. Acta Oecologica 37 (2011) 79e86
Kleist C. Annabelle, 2010. Origins of invasive French broom in California. The Preliminary Program for 95th ESA Annual Meeting (August 1 -- 6, 2010)
Summary: Available from: http://eco.confex.com/eco/2010/preliminaryprogram/abstract_23290.htm [Accessed 9 May 2011]
Mastro, Lisa Wolfbrandt, 1987. A Study on the Natural History of Cytisus on Santa Catalina Island with an Emphasis on Biological Control. Third California Islands Symposium
Summary: Available from: http://repository.library.csuci.edu/jspui/bitstream/10139/3029/1/Mastro_1987_StudyCytisus~.pdf [Accessed 9 May 2011]
Montllor, C. B.; Bernays, E. A.; Hamai, J.; Graham, M., 1995. Regional differences in the distribution of the pyralid moth Uresiphita reversalis, (Guenee) on French broom, an introduced weed. Pan-Pacific Entomologist. 71(2). 1995. 92-104.
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER), 2011. Genista monspessulana (L.) L.A.S.Johnson, Fabaceae
Summary: Available from: http://www.hear.org/pier/species/genista_monspessulana.htm [Accessed 9 May 2011]
Pauchard, Anibal; Garcia, Rafael A.; Pena, Eduardo; Gonzalez, Cristian; Cavieres, Lohengrin A.; Bustamante, Ramiro O., 2008. Positive feedbacks between plant invasions and fire regimes: Teline monspessulana (L.) K. Koch (Fabaceae) in central Chile. Biological Invasions. 10(4). APR 2008. 547-553.
Paynter Q., Csurhes S. M., Heard T. A., Ireson J., Julien M. H., Lloyd J., Lonsdale W. M., Palmer W. A., Sheppard A. W., Klinken R. D. van, 2003. Worth the risk? Introduction of legumes can cause more harm than good: an Australian perspective. Australian Systematic Botany 16 , 81�88.
Summary: Available from: http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=SB01025.pdf [Accessed 9 May 2011]
Robison, Ramona; Steve Schoenig; Douglas W. Johnson; Elizabeth Brusati and Joseph M. DiTomaso, 2010. California Invasive Plant Research Needs Assessment. Invasive Plant Science and Management October 2010 : Vol. 3, Issue 4, pg(s) 470-481
Sheppard, Andy, 2000. Selection and Testing of Biological Control Agents for Control of French Broom Genista monspessulana (L.) L. Johnson Oregon Department of Agriculture ODA project 801 GR. Final Report. CRC Weed Management Systems/CSIRO Entomology
Summary: Available from: http://www.cal-ipc.org/ip/research/biocontrols/broom/pdf/SelectionTesting.pdf [Accessed 9 May 2011]
Sheppard, Andy; Melanie Haines & Thierry Thomann, 2006. Native-range research assists risk analysis for non-targets in weed biological control: the cautionary tale of the broom seed beetle. Australian Journal of Entomology Volume 45, Issue 4, pages 292�297, November 2006
Sheppard W. Andy, John R. Hosking, Jean-Louis Sagliocco, Thierry Thomann, Paul O. Downey and Raelene M. Kwong, 2006. Biological control of brooms in Australia: an update. Fifteenth Australian Weeds Conference
Summary: Available from: http://www.caws.org.au/awc/2006/awc200615731.pdf [Accessed 9 May 2011]
Withers, Toni M.; Hill, Richard L.; Paynter, Quentin; Fowler, Simon V.; Gourlay, A. Hugh, 2008. Post-release investigations into the field host range of the gorse pod moth Cydia succedana Denis & Schiffermuller (Lepidoptera : Tortricidae) in New Zealand. New Zealand Entomologist. 31 2008. 67-76.
General information
Adams R, Simmons D. 1991 The invasive potential of Genista monspessulana (Montpellier broom) in dry sclerophyll forest in Victoria. Victorian Nat. 108. (4): 84-89 (1991) - En Geog=7 Systematics: Angiospermae (Leguminosae: Genista) (, 199201520).
Haubensak, Karen A.; D Antonio, Carla M.; Alexander, Janice, 2004. Effects of nitrogen-fixing shrubs in Washington and coastal California. Weed Technology. 18(Suppl. S). 2004. 1475-1479.
Herrera, Angelica M.; Carruthers, Raymond I.; Mills, Nicholas J., 2011a. Introduced populations of Genista monspessulana (French broom) are more dense and produce a greater seed rain in California, USA, than native populations in the Mediterranean Basin of Europe. Biological Invasions. 13(2). Feb 2011. 369-380.
Integrated Taxonomic Information Service (ITIS), 2011. Genista monspessulana (L.) L. Johnson
Summary: Available from: http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=502738 [Accessed 27 April 2011]
Parker, Ingrid M.; Engel, Alexandra.; Haubensak, Karen A.; Goodell, Karen, 2002. Pollination of Cytisus scoparius (Fabaceae) and Genista monspessulana (Fabaceae), two invasive shrubs in California. Madrono. 49(1). January-March, 2002. 25-32.
Parker, Ingrid M.; Haubensak, Karen A., 2002. Comparative pollinator limitation of two non-native shrubs: Do mutualisms influence invasions? Oecologia (Berlin). 130(2). January, 2002. 250-258.
USDA-ARS, 2011. Taxon: Genista monspessulana (L.) L. A. S. Johnson. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
Summary: Available from: [Accessed 27 April 2011]
USDA-NRCS, 2011. Genista monspessulana (L.) L.A.S. Johnson French broom. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
Summary: Available from: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=GEMO2 [Accessed 27 April 2011]
Contact
The following 0 contacts offer information an advice on Genista monspessulana
Genista monspessulana
Cape broom, Montpellierbrem, Montpellier broom, soft broom, French broom, Canary broom
Date assessed
Year published
Eicat category
Justification for EICAT assessment
Confidence rating
Mechanism(s) of maximum impact
Countries of most severe impact
Description of impacts
Assessor
Contributors
Reviewers
Recommended citation
(2025). Genista monspessulana. IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT).