# Plant Monograph: Broom
**Name of plant:**
Broom
**Catch phrase (Carmina Gadelica or traditional invocation if available):**
No specific *Carmina Gadelica* invocation for broom has been identified. The plant's traditional association with sweeping and cleansing makes it particularly suitable symbolically for purification, clearing, and the removal of what is unwanted.
**Family:**
Fabaceae — Pea family
**Genus and species:**
*Cytisus scoparius* (L.) Link
**Other names:**
Scotch broom, Scots broom, broom tops, besom, green broom, *Sarothamnus scoparius*, *Spartium scoparium*, French: genêt à balais. The name "broom" refers both to the plant and its traditional use as a material for making sweeping brooms.
**Brief introduction:**
Broom is a perennial, woody shrub native to Europe and parts of North Africa and now naturalized extensively elsewhere, including Canada. It bears conspicuous yellow, pea-like flowers on slender green stems. It was historically valued both as a practical plant for making besoms and as a medicinal herb. Its medicinal reputation, however, must be treated cautiously: broom contains pharmacologically active quinolizidine alkaloids, particularly sparteine, and significant poisoning has occurred from inappropriate medicinal use. ([Government of British Columbia][1])
**Traditional uses:**
* Used as a diuretic to encourage urination.
* Used traditionally for low blood pressure and certain cardiac complaints.
* Used to reduce excessive menstrual bleeding.
* Used traditionally as an emetic or purgative in stronger preparations.
* Used externally and practically as a sweeping plant, giving broom a longstanding association with cleansing and removal. ([Amazon Web Services, Inc.][2])
**Historical use:**
* Flowering tops were used in European folk medicine for cardiovascular complaints.
* Broom preparations were historically employed as diuretics.
* Sparteine derived from broom was historically investigated and used as an antiarrhythmic agent.
* Sparteine was historically employed as an oxytocic/uterine stimulant, although this use is now considered unsafe.
* The woody stems were traditionally gathered to manufacture household besoms and sweeping brooms. ([besjournals][3])
**Parts used and method of use:**
* Flowering tops and young aerial shoots.
* Leaves and young stems.
Used as:
* Traditionally prepared as an infusion or decoction.
* Historically prepared as a liquid extract.
* Historically administered as a dried herb.
* Stems used dried and bundled as household sweeping brooms.
**Use in healing (modern herbal practice):**
* There is insufficient modern clinical evidence to recommend broom as a routine medicinal herb.
* Historically described as a diuretic.
* Historically used for cardiovascular complaints associated with low blood pressure.
* Traditionally employed for excessive menstrual bleeding.
* Experimental research has investigated its alkaloids and cardiovascular pharmacology, but toxicity substantially limits practical medicinal use. ([Drugs.com][4])
**Pharmacology and biochemistry:**
* **Sparteine** — a quinolizidine alkaloid and major pharmacologically active constituent.
* **Cytisine and isosparteine** — additional quinolizidine alkaloids.
* **Tyramine and flavonoids** — amines and polyphenolic constituents also occur in the aerial parts. ([Amazon Web Services, Inc.][2])
Mechanisms:
* Sparteine affects sodium-ion conduction and has historically demonstrated antiarrhythmic and cardiac-depressant effects.
* Quinolizidine alkaloids can produce nicotinic-type effects on the nervous system.
* Sparteine has oxytocic activity and can stimulate uterine contractions. ([PubChem][5])
Overall profile: **A pharmacologically active but potentially toxic plant.** Its historical medicinal actions are principally associated with quinolizidine alkaloids, especially sparteine. Because these compounds can affect the heart, nervous system and uterus, broom is not appropriate for casual self-medication. ([besjournals][3])
**Common dosage:**
* Traditional infusion: approximately 1 teaspoon of chopped flowering shoots in water, 3–4 times daily.
* Traditional dried herb: approximately 1–1.5 g per dose.
* Extracts: historically prepared, but no modern evidence-based safe dosage has been established.
* Tincture: historically prepared, but standardized contemporary dosing cannot safely be recommended.
**Important:** These are historical doses, **not recommended self-treatment doses**. Modern clinical evidence does not establish a safe therapeutic dosage for broom, and poisoning has been reported. ([Drugs.com][4])
**Safety factors (including side effects):**
* Broom is potentially toxic because of sparteine and related quinolizidine alkaloids.
* Excessive exposure can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, weakness, impaired coordination, sweating and visual disturbances.
* It should be avoided during pregnancy because sparteine has uterotonic/oxytocic and abortifacient potential.
* It is contraindicated in significant cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and cardiomyopathy.
* Serious poisoning can produce tachycardia, bradycardia, arrhythmia, circulatory collapse, cardiac failure and potentially death. ([Amazon Web Services, Inc.][2])
**First aid / adverse reaction response:**
* **Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea:** Stop exposure and seek poison-control or medical advice if symptoms are significant or persistent.
* **Dizziness, weakness, confusion or impaired coordination:** Stop exposure, remain in a safe position and obtain urgent medical assessment.
* **Palpitations, abnormal heart rate or fainting:** Treat as a medical emergency and seek emergency medical assistance.
* **Severe poisoning, collapse or breathing difficulty:** Emergency medical treatment is required; do not attempt to manage significant broom poisoning with home remedies. ([Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung][6])
**Drug interactions:**
* May interact adversely with cardiovascular medicines because of sparteine's effects on cardiac conduction and blood pressure.
* The tyramine content creates a theoretical concern with monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
* CYP2D6 metabolism may affect exposure to sparteine and potentially alter individual responses.
* Broom should not be combined casually with other drugs affecting cardiac rhythm, blood pressure, uterine contraction or the autonomic nervous system. ([Amazon Web Services, Inc.][2])
**Horticultural requirements:**
* USDA / Canadian zone: Approximately USDA Zones 5–8; hardy populations may tolerate colder Canadian conditions depending on provenance and exposure.
* Soil pH: Approximately 5.5–7.0; tolerant of relatively poor soils.
* Light requirements: Full sun.
* Moisture: Well-drained soil; drought-tolerant once established.
* Other notes (growth habit, harvest timing, etc.):
* **Growth habit:** Erect, woody, bushy shrub generally 2–4 m tall, with green, angular stems and a strong taproot.
* **Flowering/fruiting:** Bright yellow pea-like flowers appear principally in late spring and summer, followed by dark, hairy-edged seed pods.
* **Harvest timing:** Traditional medicinal harvesting focuses on flowering tops, generally gathered during flowering.
* **Habitat:** Open woodland, heathland, grassland, roadsides and disturbed ground; capable of invading habitats and forming dense stands.
* **Propagation/cultivation notes:** Propagated readily from seed; scarification or other treatment may improve germination. Because Scotch broom is invasive in parts of Canada, including British Columbia, cultivation should be checked against local invasive-species regulations. ([Government of British Columbia][1])
**Sampling of clinical reports / studies:**
* **Clinical evidence:** Modern clinical trials supporting medicinal use are lacking. ([Drugs.com][4])
* **Pharmacological evidence:** Historical pharmacology demonstrates cardiovascular effects associated particularly with sparteine, including effects on cardiac conduction.
* **Phytochemical evidence:** Broom contains sparteine, cytisine, isosparteine, tyramine and flavonoids, with alkaloid concentrations varying among plant parts and preparations. ([besjournals][3])
* **Ethnobotanical evidence:** European folk medicine records extensive historical use for diuresis, cardiovascular complaints and menstrual bleeding, alongside its practical use as a sweeping material. ([besjournals][3])
* **Overall assessment of evidence:** **Historically important but unsuitable for unsupervised medicinal use.** The pharmacology is real, but the narrow margin between historical medicinal effects and alkaloid toxicity makes broom substantially different from a gentle household herbal.
[1]: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/plants-animals-and-ecosystems/invasive-species/publications/prescribed_fire_and_invasive_plants_manual.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Scotch Broom"
[2]: https://s3.amazonaws.com/thinkific-import/5076/AmericanHerbalProductsAssociationsBotanicalSafetyHandbook2ndEd11529438093468-1559675898898.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com "American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook (2nd Ed)"
[3]: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2745.70057?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Biological Flora of Britain and Ireland: Cytisus scoparius* - Thomas - 2025 - Journal of Ecology - Wiley Online Library"
[4]: https://www.drugs.com/npp/broom.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Broom Uses, Benefits & Dosage"
[5]: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/644020?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Sparteine | C15H26N2 | CID 644020 - PubChem"
[6]: https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/opinions/alkaloids-and-allergies-current-data-on-health-risks-from-lupin-seeds-in-food/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Alkaloids and allergies: current data on health risks from lupin seeds in food - BfR"
Educational Use Only: The information presented on this page is provided for educational, historical, and informational purposes only. ArdNemeton na Tuatha and Bhùth Draoi do not provide medical advice. Always consult your physician and pharmacist before using any herb, mushroom, supplement, or botanical product for medicinal purposes. Traditional uses described herein do not constitute medical claims.