- Lifespan
- 20–30 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 0.5–2 m tall; dense, spiny shrub
- Habitat
- Well-drained, acidic soils on heaths, commons, cliffs, and disturbed ground throughout the UK.
- UK Distribution
- Found across the UK, particularly in southern England, Wales, and coastal regions; absent from the far north of Scotland.
- Diet
- Not applicable; nitrogen-fixing legume that photosynthesises; roots form symbiotic relationships with rhizobia bacteria.
- Predators
- Gorse is browsed by rabbits, hares, and livestock; seeds eaten by birds such as finches and linnets.
- Mating Season
- December to June (flowering period)
- Breeding
- Hermaphrodite flowers produce seed pods; seeds mature in summer and are dispersed by dehiscence (explosive pod splitting) and by animals; prolific self-seeding.
- Behaviour
- A pioneer species that colonises disturbed and marginal land, often forming dense, impenetrable thickets. Allelopathic (releases chemicals inhibiting competing plants). Highly flammable and adapted to periodic burning.