Dwarf Gorse is a
native
perennial plant of the UK, typically found growing in heathland and shrub, to a mature height of up to 100cm.
Dwarf Gorse, like Common Gorse, is a spiny-stemmed evergreen shrub with winged, pea-like flowers. Apart from being much shorter (up to 1 metre instead of up to 2.5 metres), however, the Dwarf Gorse differs by having softer foliage, hairy stems and bearing its flowers at the end of branching stems.
Botanic classification and naming: Dwarf Gorse is a member of the Pea (Fabaceae) family. The genus name
'Ulex' identifies the plant as a Gorse and its species name 'minor' means 'small-sized plant'.
Concerns: Dwarf Gorse is a poisonous plant with the toxins concentrated in the peas and pods.
Benefits: Dwarf Gorse has root nodules that host nitrogen-fixing bacteria. These make atmospheric nitrogen available to feed the plant and enrich the soil.
Benefits to wildlife are also indicated with orange icons in the plant profile bar at the top.
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