Scotch broom is deciduous shrub that grows 4 to 6 feet tall and wide, with an upright, irregular to rounded form. It has very finely-textured green leaves that are small and needle-like. New wood is a bright green and vidid in the landscape, and very old stems are a grey-brown. Pea-like flowers bloom May and June, and are followed by pea-like brown pods. There are a number of cultivars available, differing in size and flower color (whites, creams, yellows, pinks, and red). The species has a yellow flower. Use in a shrub or foundation border; smallerer forms are great in parkstrips.
Grow in full sun in well-drained, dry, sandy to sandy-loam soils. Will tolerate a clay soil as long as it is well draining and not subject to over-watering. Cut back after blooming, if necessary. There are some regions of the US where scotch bloom has demonstrated an invasive tendency.