Cytisus

/ˈsɪtɪsəs/ noun

Definition

A genus of woody shrubs in the pea family, known for their bright yellow flowers and ability to grow in poor soil.

Etymology

From Greek 'kytisos,' the ancient Greek name for a plant in the legume family. The term was adopted directly into scientific Latin nomenclature for plant classification.

Kelly Says

Cytisus plants are sometimes called 'broom' and they're so good at surviving in terrible soil that they've become invasive in places like California—they literally fix nitrogen in the soil, making it better for other plants to colonize!

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