I received this beautiful bush in a large pot as a gift and would like to plant it properly so it will thrive for years. I live in Zone 5 on US East Coast. Is it hardy enough to tolerate freezing temps in the Winter? What is the best type of soil for it? Does the broom like sun or shade or a mix. What kind of watering does it prefer?
Hello Gardener, We had some interesting discussion on Cytisus in this thread. You might want to read through it. Zone 5 may be a bit cold for the plant. It will depend on the particular variety, but I would give it plenty of mulch for the winter and choose a protected site to plant. I read on the web that they are not long lived, but you should have it for a while. Around here the common yellow Cytisus scoparius is considered an invasive nuissance that causes allergies. The other cultivars do not seem to be so aggressive and in your climate the plant is probably not hardy enough to be seriously invasive.
Just read your notes. I am a novice at gardening but I have a beautiful " Moonlight Broom". I planted in almost 4 years ago 1 gal container. Today it is almost 5 ft in height and has spread 4 ft. I live in a rural community-CBS (I believe Zone 5) some 30 km outside the city of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Last week I purchased a Red Broom from a local nursery and am hoping for similar results. Any suggestions or should I treat it like the "Moonlight".
