Ulex europaeus

Common gorse

Family: Fabaceae · Type: shrub · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Common gorse is a naturalized shrub found in northern coastal California, central coast, and southern coastal regions in disturbed places like old fields and pastures at elevations below 400 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces bright yellow flowers with dense clusters of pea-like blossoms about 20 millimeters long. Growing as a dense, intricately branched shrub up to 3 meters tall with stiff, hairy twigs that become more complex with age, it forms thick, impenetrable thickets. Its leaves are reduced to sharp, rigid spines, giving the plant a distinctive, prickly appearance that makes it easily recognizable in disturbed landscapes. The fruit develops as a densely hairy pod 1 to 2 centimeters long, contributing to its persistent and aggressive growth habit.

Habitat: Common. Disturbed places, especially old fields, pastures

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: < 400 m

Bioregions: NCo, NCoRO, CCo, SCo

California counties: Sonoma, Mendocino, San Mateo, Monterey, Marin, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, Placer, Nevada, Humboldt, Calaveras, Alameda, San Francisco, Del Norte, Butte, Contra Costa, San Diego, Santa Barbara

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.