History and Impact
Gorse is an exotic invader from Europe, originally introduced as an ornamental. It is a spiny evergreen shrub in the pea family, dense and stiff, forming impenetrable thickets. Vigorous stands grow outward, crowding out all other vegetation and forming a center of dry dead vegetation. This, in combination with the oil content of the plant, presents a major fire hazard. In 1936 the town of Bandon, Oregon, was burned to the ground; 14 people died and only 16 buildings remained unburned. The disaster was fueled by extensive infestations of gorse. As a Class B noxious weed, its control is required in King County.

Biology and Morphology
Its erect angular stems have spreading branches ending in thorns. Green leaves take the form of branching spines. Flowers are yellow and shaped like pea-blossoms, clustered near the ends of the branches. They are solitary or with two to three grouped in axils of spines on the preceding year's growth. Fruit pods (legumes) resemble pea pods that burst expelling seeds. Roots are very extensive, with woody crowns and nitrogen fixing nodules. Gorse resembles Scotch broom (Scot's Broom).

For information on gorse identification and control, please download our gorse weed alert (1.26 MB Acrobat file).

If you find gorse in King County, please notify us through our online infestation form.

To find out where we have records of this weed in King County, use our interactive noxious weed map and search for gorse.

For more information about gorse, please see the written findings of the WA State Noxious Weed Control Board.

For information on controlling gorse in King County, please read the gorse best management practices (68 KB Acrobat file).

Gorse photos - click thumbnail for larger image