Fabaceae FAMILY

Genista tinctoria

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Genista tinctoria is a very variable, deciduous shrub. In its typical form, it is a low-growing, often semi-prostrate shrub with creeping roots - producing a cluster of stems usually no more than 10cm tall in the wild but up to 60cm in cultivation. At the other end of the scale is a form previously known as Genista virgata - this is an altogether bigger and stronger-growing, erect shrub that can reach 90 - 150cm tall The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is sometimes cultivated as a dye and medicinal plant and is also sometimes grown as an ornamental[ 141 Title Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Publication Author Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Publisher Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading Year 1986 ISBN 0704909820 Description Some suggested alternative commercial crops for Britain. Readable. Produced by a University study group. , 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeMost of Europe excluding the far north and Portugal, east to Western Siberia, Kazakhstan, Iran and Afghanistan

HabitatMeadows, pastures, heaths and the edges of fields[ 4 Title A Modern Herbal. Publication Author Grieve. Publisher Penguin Year 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 Description Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants. ], especially on poor soils[ 11 Title Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Publication Author Bean. W. Publisher Murray Year 1981 ISBN - Description A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures. ].