Genista linifolia
Mediterranean broom
(c) Aaron Kreisberg, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Genista linifolia (Mediterranean broom) is a non-native California shrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by distinctive linear leaflets with rolled margins.
Mediterranean broom is a naturalized shrub found in northern coastal California, Santa Barbara County, Santa Catalina Island, and the southern Channel Islands in disturbed places at elevations below 900 meters. Flowering from February to August, this plant produces yellow flowers in dense racemes up to 30 millimeters long. Growing as a compact shrub less than 2.5 meters tall, it develops densely silky-hairy twigs when young. Its leaves feature narrow linear to oblanceolate leaflets 10 to 60 millimeters long, with white hairs sparse on top and dense underneath, and margins rolled tightly inward. The fruit is covered in fine hairs and reaches 15 to 35 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; distinctive linear leaflets with rolled margins are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed places
Elevation: < 900 m
Outside California: native to Canary Islands, western Mediterranean, northern Africa
Bloom period
Genista linifolia blooms Feb-Aug.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
vs Cytisus: Genista style bends sharply at tip; Scotch broom style curves gently throughout or bends in middle.; vs Acmispon: Genista is tall woody shrub; deerweed is low herbaceous plant with flowers in small clusters.; vs Spartium: Genista has leafy stems; Spanish broom has nearly leafless rush-like stems.; vs Lupinus: Genista has 1-3 tiny leaflets; lupine has 5-17 large leaflets in palm arrangement.; vs Baccharis: Genista has yellow pea flowers; baccharis has tiny white/cream fuzzy flowers in clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Genista linifolia native to California?
No. Genista linifolia is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Genista linifolia bloom?
Genista linifolia blooms Feb-Aug.
What plant family does Genista linifolia belong to?
Genista linifolia is in the Fabaceae family, genus Genista.
Is Genista linifolia invasive in California?
Genista linifolia is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
What habitat does Genista linifolia grow in?
Genista linifolia 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.