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Dyer's Greenweed

Genista tinctoria

Bean family (Fabaceae)

Endangered (EN)

Generous with colour

In the Middle Ages an infusion of the deep-yellow flowers was used to dye wool and linen yellow. Dyer’s greenweed, a low growing shrub with attractive elongated leaves, prefers dry to fairly damp habitats, whether or not it is the calcareous soils of dune valleys or heath land. Insects that are attracted to the flowers primarily collect pollen, nectar-seeking bees also visit but often in vain as this flower offers little nectar.

In the Netherlands, dyer's greenweed has become very rare. This species is adversely affected by air pollution and the resulting increase in grasses. It is however surviving best along the coast in the naturally calcareous environments of North-Kennemerland and on the edge of wet heath and dune valleys on Texel, Terschelling and Ameland. Inland its decline has been nothing short of dramatic.

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Generous with colour

Genista (broom), the summer flowering Dryer’s broom is by far the finest contributing to the fresh yellow tint on the grey moorland along with gorse and creeping broom. It is a low-lying plant, a dwarf shrub, with upright stems with large deep yellow flowers in clusters. The leaves are lance-shaped, pointed, dark green beneath and shiny on top.

The genus name Genista is probably derived from the Italian ginestra, which in turn comes from the Greek knèstron meaning ‘an object to scratch’, which certainly applies to Dryer’s broom; tinctoria means ‘paint’. It has been used since the Middle Ages to dye wool and linen yellow with an infusion made from the flowers.

Ecology and habitat

Dyer’s broom prefers dry to fairly damp conditions, on (calcareous) soils in dune valleys and heathlands. Visitors to the flower are primarily pollen collecting insects, occasionally also honey bees looking for nectar. In Europe this species covers a large area and also occurs in the adjacent area of western Asia. Previously, the species was fairly common but that is now no longer the case. Compared with gorse they prefer less acidic soils.

Threat

In the Netherlands Dyer’s broom is very rare and moreover has undergone a very steep decline. Atmospheric pollution and the consequent advance of grass is detrimental to this species, which is found predominantly along the coast often in the once calcareous environments in Noord-Kennemerland. Otherwise it can be found on the edge of damp heaths and occasionally in dune valleys on Texel, Terschelling and Ameland.

In the interior where the decline has been dramatic, Dyer’s broom still grows in the more buffered transition zones between moraines and river valleys, including along the Overijssel Vecht, furthermore it is scarce on the chalk areas of Zuid Limburg.

« Description

Present in:

Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam
Hortus Alkmaar
Hortus botanicus Leiden
Botanische Tuinen Universiteit Utrecht
Hortus botanicus Haren / Groningen
Botanische Tuin De Kruidhof
Nederlands Openluchtmuseum

Themes

The Botanical Gardens Association cannot take any responsibility for any adverse effects of the use of plants. Always seek the advice of a professional before using any plant medicinally. Always seek the advice of a professional before using any plant medicinally.

Crown jewel in the De Kruidhof Botanic Garden.

Formerly used as a medicinal herb.

Visitors to the flower are primarily pollen collecting bees as well as the occasional honey bee looking in vain for nectar.

Dyer’s broom has been used since the Middle Ages to dye wool and linen yellow with an infusion made from the flowers (tinctoria means ‘paint’).

Details

Description: Shrub, up to 0.60 (-1) m.
Distributions: Europe, western asia
Habitat: Dune valleys and heathlands, dry to fairly damp conditions, on calcareous and non calcareous soils.
Year cycle: Perennial (trees and shrubs included)
Hardiness: 34 - 41 f (tender - cool or frost-free glasshouse)
Flowering period: Juni - augustus
Flower color: Yellow
Notes on flowers: Large, deep yellow flowers in racemes.
At its best: Juni - augustus

Distribution

http://www.verspreidingsatlas.nl/0561
http://wilde-planten.nl/verfbrem.htm

Sources

http://www.floron.nl/publicaties/rode-lijst-2012,
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Genista+tinctoria,
Botanica
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