Broom

Sarothamnus scoparius syn. Cytisus scoparius

Broom - a stiffly branched shrub growing to 10 feet. The lower leaves are usually compound, consisting of three leaflets; the upper ones are often undivided. Bright yellow pealike flowers of broom (April-June), about 3/4 inch wide, bloom singly or in pairs along the branches and are followed by brown, hairy seedpods 2-3 inches long.

In the Middle Ages, broom lent its name and its twigs and branches to the tool that housewives used for sweeping. The herb could ward off witches, it was said, but to use it in full bloom invited bad luck. An old English saying was quite specific: "If you sweep the house with blossomed broom in May, you are sure to sweep the head of the house away."

Broom also has a heraldic history. According to one tradition, Geoffrey, count of Anjou (1129-1149), adopted broom as a badge and affixed it to his helmet, perhaps so that his troops could easily follow him into battle. A century later, a new order of knighthood, founded by Louis IX of France, chose broom as its emblem of humility .

Broom had medicinal value too. In the 16th century broom was recommended as a diuretic and as a purgative-once a common treatment for a host of ailments. Reportedly, no less a person than Henry VIII, king of England, drank the distilled water of the flowers when he was ill. Although some modern herbals list broom as a diuretic and cathartic (strong laxative), official medicine recommends against its use because the tops of the broom plant contain poisons.

Other names

• Broom Flowers
• Broom Tops
• Common Broom
• Genista
• Irish Broom
• Link
• Scotch Broom

Parts used

Flowering tops.

Uses

Broom is used mainly as a remedy for an irregular, fast heartbeat. Broom acts on the electrical conductivity of the heart, slowing and regulating the transmission of the impulses. Broom is also strongly diuretic, stimulating urine production and thus countering fluid retention. Since broom causes the muscles of the uterus to contract, it has been used to prevent blood loss after childbirth.

Habitat & cultivation

Native to Europe, broom is commonly found on heaths, along roadsides, and in open woodland. Broom is naturalized in many temperate regions, including in the US. The flowering tops are gathered from spring to autumn.

Constituents

Broom contains quinolizidine alkaloids (particularly sparteine and lupanine), phenethylamines, isoflavones, flavonoids, a volatile oil, caffeic and p-coumaric acids, tannins, and pigments. Sparteine reduces the heart rate, and the isoflavones are estrogenic.

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