The British are coming.

No, the Scots are coming.

No, the Scotch broom — a native plant to the British Isles — is coming.

"Spring is a good time to get the jump on this invader," said Russ Plaeger of
the Sandy River Basin Watershed Council. "By cutting or pulling the plants
now you can stop them from producing another crop of seeds."

The bright yellow flowers of Scotch broom will soon be visible along Hwy. 26
and other parts of the Mountain community.

It was first sold in California in the mid-1800s and has become widespread on
the west side of the Pacific Northwest. The plant was first used in hopes of
preventing erosion.

Scotch broom has taken over portions of natural areas in the Sandy River
Basin and causes headaches for landowners. The Oregon Department of
Agriculture estimates the economic impact of the non-native broom exceeds
$40 million annually, especially due to its impact on forest productivity by
slowing the reestablishment of tree seedlings in clear-cuts.

Like other invasive plants, Scotch broom can outcompete and displace the
native plants and reduce the habitat available for birds and wildlife.

Mature plants range from 3-10 feet tall with young branches that are green in
color. The yellow flowers, noticeable between April and June, look like a pea,
and rightfully so. Scotch broom is a member of the pea family. The plants will
produce seed pods, like a pea but fatter. Young plants have fewer branches
and are primarily green and supple.

"Gardeners know that weeds are tenacious but with good effort you can get
rid of them," Plaeger said. "Set some manageable goals for yourself — what
size area can you tackle this year?"

If time is limited concentrate on cutting older, flowering plants, Plaeger
advised. Next year pull all of the young plants and over time your objective is
to get rid of the flowering plants and to exhaust the seed bank in your soil.

Plants up to three feet tall can be pulled by hand. They’re easier to pull when
the soil is moist. The seeds can still germinate decades after they were
produced which is why preventing flowering and pulling young plants before
they begin to produce seed, usually by their fourth year, is important.

"If you’re persistent you will succeed," Plaeger said. "Local resident Mitch
Williams and the youth crews that have worked along Barlow Trail Road have
greatly reduced the infestations of Scotch broom and English ivy in that area."