Clustered Broom

Chamaecytisus supinus, the clustered broom or prostrate broom, is a low-growing, deciduous shrub in the family Fabaceae native to central and southeastern Europe, from Germany and Austria south through the Balkans to the Mediterranean region. It grows to 0.3–0.8 m in height, forming compact, bushy mounds with trifoliate leaves and bright yellow, pea-shaped flowers borne in dense terminal and axillary clusters—a characteristic reflected in its common name. The species favors dry, calcareous grasslands, rocky slopes, forest margins, and steppe habitats, often on thin, well-drained soils. Like other legumes, it forms symbiotic associations with nitrogen-fixing root bacteria, helping to enrich poor soils. Chamaecytisus supinus is an important plant for pollinators, particularly bees, which collect both pollen and nectar from the flowers. The seeds are dispersed by explosive dehiscence of the pods and by ants that collect oil-bearing appendages on the seeds (myrmecochory). The species has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN for conservation status, but is considered locally common in suitable dry calcareous habitats across its European range.