Cytisus proliferus
Tree lucerne
(c) Jon Sullivan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Cytisus proliferus (Tree lucerne) is a non-native California shrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by size and leaf characteristics diagnostic.
Tree lucerne is a naturalized shrub found in coastal central California and San Francisco Bay regions in disturbed places at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white flowers with purple interior markings, featuring a banner 10 to 15 millimeters long. Growing to less than 5 meters tall with round, hairy twigs, it develops distinctive axillary flower clusters of 3 to 7 blooms. Its leaves are composed of lanceolate to ovate leaflets 10 to 30 millimeters long, with silky undersides and glabrous upper surfaces. The fruit is a black, silky-hairy pod reaching 3.5 to 5 centimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; size and leaf characteristics diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed places
Elevation: < 100 m
Outside California: native to Canary Islands
Bloom period
Cytisus proliferus blooms Mar-May.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
vs Genista: Cytisus style curves in middle; Genista style bends sharply at tip only.; vs Spartium: Cytisus has leafy 3-part leaves; Spanish broom has nearly leafless rush-like stems.; vs Acmispon: Cytisus is tall woody shrub with ridged stems; deerweed is low herbaceous without ridged stems.; vs Baccharis: Cytisus has yellow pea flowers; baccharis has tiny white fuzzy flowers and lacks showy petals.; vs Ephedra: Cytisus has yellow flowers and leaves; Mormon tea has no flowers/leaves, only tiny scales on jointed stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cytisus proliferus native to California?
No. Cytisus proliferus is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Cytisus proliferus bloom?
Cytisus proliferus blooms Mar-May.
What plant family does Cytisus proliferus belong to?
Cytisus proliferus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Cytisus.
Is Cytisus proliferus invasive in California?
Cytisus proliferus is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
What habitat does Cytisus proliferus grow in?
Cytisus proliferus grows in Uncommon. Disturbed places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.