This time of year it’s especially noticeable that much of the 8-mile stretch of Route 3 between Gorst and Belfair is lined with Scotch broom (see photo). The hardy plant is in full bloom, and its profuse flowers create a yellow border along the highway. Since it’s on both sides of the road, that’s almost 16 miles of color. I’m just glad I don’t have any plant allergies.
The first time someone told me the name of the invasive shrub I thought they said Scotch bloom. That name works too, I think, particularly during the month of May when the Scotch broom is in Scotch bloom. If unchecked, the plant thrives in open sunny areas all over Western Washington. The bright yellow flowers make it seem like Scotch broom is everywhere.
Scotch broom doesn’t line every foot of the Gorst to Belfair corridor. It isn’t growing on the commercial properties or in the landscaped grassy area near the airport. There are also a few Scotch broom-free stretches in the shady areas where the Department of Transportation has left mature Hemlocks and Douglas firs growing next to the highway shoulder. Scotch broom needs full or partial sun to grow. But wherever there are open areas because trees have been cut back to improve driving visibility and safety along what is mainly a rural road, Scotch broom is the dominant species.
I don’t have any Scotch broom on my hillside property in Bremerton unlike the neighbors whose lots border mine. That’s because I’m vigilant and deal with any new shoots as soon as I notice them. Scotch broom is easy enough to pull up, roots included, if the plants are young. Once they are established like the flowering shrubs in the photo, trying to eradicate them is a lot more work.
The yellow flowers will disappear in a few more weeks as spring transitions into early summer, and Route 3 will return to looking like it does for most of the year. But next spring the yellow border will be back.
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