The Dreaded Scotch Broom:

My Grandma T. hated, really, really hated Scotch Broom.  She said, "It's taking over the valley."  Whenever she saw it on a distant hill, she would just say, "That damn Scotch Broom.  It doesn't belong there.  It is a weed." 

Grandma T. died nearly 11 years ago, and she would seriously be upset about how much of it there is now.  The Scotch Broom really jumped out at me this past weekend when we were doing the cemetery hop.  It is all over the place in the Willamette Valley. 

“Some people may look at the golden hillsides resulting from Scotch broom and think it’s a pretty wildflower that belongs in (the Pacific Northwest). That’s the farthest thing from the truth. Scotch broom costs the state of Oregon about $47 million each year by its impact on natural resources, particularly on timber production.”

Tim Butler, supervisor for the Oregon, Department of Agriculture’s Noxious Weed Program 

Source: Broombusters.org (please click here for tons of info and more links about Scotch Broom).

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

True, the bright yellow color is cheerful and friendly.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

But, it takes over whatever is in it's path.  It truly is invasive.  I took these pictures at the Analauf/Compton cemetery near Curtain, Oregon.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

The photo below was taken at the Yoncalla Cemetery.  The Scotch broom is right outside of it, on the neighboring property:

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

And, this is the worse to me, it is right inside the small graveyard on top of the knoll at the tree farm in Hardscrabble.  Right there!  Boy would Grandma T. be annoyed at the nerve of it.  If we don't spend time getting rid of it, it will eventually consume that little cemetery.  Hopefully the people that live there and operate the tree farm will remove it, or their trees could be at risk, I would think.

See the pretty red plant?  Poison Oak.  It isn't only ghosts that we have to watch out for anymore, I guess.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

The Scotch broom is back a bit behind the girls in orange.

You can see it across the road from the barn here.  Please do what you can to help remove this obnoxious weed if you come across it.  The links at the top of this page will let you know just how you can help.  It usually needs to be dug out, because it contains a creosote type of substance that makes burning it yucky.

~ Kathy Matthews

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