On the path from Swanson Park under the Pacific Boulevard viaduct to Albany Station Saturday, June 6, 2026.
If you like bright yellow flowers, take a walk along the path from Albany Station to Swanson Park.
Scotch broom was in full flower when a bike ride took me along that path on Saturday afternoon.
This weed is said to be an invasive species. But it has been more than a century and a half since it was introduced in the United States from its native Europe, so you’d think it might be considered native by now.
Yes, I know that by “invasive” they mean that it takes over from other plant species when the ground has been disturbed. That’s why it flourishes along roadsides and the like.
Once it takes over, Scotch broom is hard to get rid of. Each plant can produce up to 12,000 seeds per year. I learned this from a 2008 publication of the Oregon State University Extension Service. You can look it up here.
The plant can be trouble because it is toxic to livestock. And it’s bad for the forestry industry because when Scotch broom gets established, it smothers tree seedlings.
But on the southern slope of the Pacific Boulevard viaduct, by the side of that path from the station to Swanson Park, we don’t have to worry about grazing livestock or tree plantations.
So in the spring, all those yellow blossoms make that otherwise drab passage look kind of neat. (hh)
Scotch broom, up close.
I think that Scotch broom is pretty. It doesn’t seem I’ve seen as much on the coast in the past few years.
Scotch Broom is a noxious weed, and it spreads like wildfire and takes over farmland, too. Why in hell doesn’t the city spray it. You can’t dig it out….it comes right back. Isn’t there a farmer left in this town of Albany? Farmers have been fighting Scotch Broom since Oregon settlers came and pushed out the Native Americans. Someone needs to ask Native Americans how they manage Scotch Broom.
There was just a story in the recent news how Scotch Broom has taken over many of the burn sites in the Oregon mountains where forest fires have burned the trees and grasses.
Find out more about Scotch Broom, Hasso, before you write about it. Makes you look ignorant about Farming to praise Scotch Broom. I remember when my favorite boss where I worked was landscaping his vacation home at the Oregon Coast. He was putting in a species of Scotch Broom. My mother and I told him he was a fool to do that. My mother grew up on a farm where her Dad fought Scotch Broom all his life.
Scotch Broom was brought to Oregon in 1936 by some clown who thought he could stabilize the sand dunes. It’s worse than the Shakespeare society bringing Starlings into the US or the clown who brought Kudzu to the southeast US.
Scotch Broom was in the hills of the Willamette Valley way before 1936. 1936 is no doubt when some “clown” (your words ) introduced it to the sand dunes on The Oregon Coast.
It’s everywhere… Front page of this mornings’ Statesman Journal has very large article about it too:
https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/2026/06/03/scotch-broom-explosion-burn-scars-santiam-canyon/90316441007/
Forgot to say that when driving over the overpass on Pacific Blvd.,/Old 99, I notice the weeds on the roadside are going to seed they are so tall. I suppose the City (after 25 years of CARA bleeding them dry) does not have the money to mow or use a weed eater on the landscaping along the overpass. But, it looks awful. And, that Scotch Broom will completely take over and then the City will have a time getting rid of it.
Giving A Hoot, the nonprofit volunteer group dedicated to keeping up Albany’s entryways, has a landscape and litter cleanup scheduled Saturday, June 13, at the overpass/train station area. They’d love to have extra help! Just show up, 8 am-noon. Stay as long or a little as you can.
And when is the City scheduled to maintain it’s OWN property? There are ordinances about residents having noxious weeds, but why does the City get away with it?
Maybe you could have a Scotch Broom Festival like the they do on Bainbridge Island in Washington state? Maybe even do it in perpetuity for the entire month of June?
It takes a volunteer group to help. I’ll be damned if epony.me didn’t make the point.
So out of touch! says our power bills.
Corrupt city council !!!!
Scotch broom is highly flammable and burns when green. Each plant can produce 12,000 seeds. This is not a plant the city should let get away from them!
Considering the weed filled City owned lots, do you think they know or care?
Along with the danger from the high flammability of the plant, it has increased the agony of allergy sufferers when allowed to prosper and bloom. Weeds are just pretty flowers/plants – that are not where you want them to be! :)
The median strip on Waverly and some places elsewhere looks bad and so does some of our parks. Being a good neighbor means getting rid of the weeds. I am having a terrible time trying to keep weeds down and many first started in a park. Some of the cities trees in parks look dead too or at least part of them. They need trimming.
ODOT planted scotch broom as ground cover, its cousin Gorse (both members of the pea family)was planted in Bandon and burned the town………………..twice
Hasso just likes bright yellow flowers….then a history lesson 101 on those flowers….now
if we just had that 22 million back….oh my old subject..