Field Guide
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Gorse
Ulex europaeus
Not yet photographed by the community
Spiny shrub with golden flowers; coconut-scented all year.
Species Profile
Not listed; abundant and increasing in many areas.
- 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.
- •The bright yellow flowers are sweetly scented and bloom throughout the year, with peak flowering in spring; the saying goes 'when gorse is in bloom, kissing's in season'.
- •All parts of the plant are spiny, making it unpalatable to most grazing animals and earning it the nickname 'furze'.
- •Seeds can lie dormant in soil for up to 30 years, allowing gorse to regenerate rapidly after fire or clearance.
- •Historically used as livestock fodder, fuel, and dye; still important for ecological restoration and wildlife habitat.
- •The plant is nitrogen-fixing, enriching poor soils and facilitating colonisation by other plant species.
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