Cytisus praecox Hollandia

Cytisus x praecox 'Hollandia' is a charming hybrid broom, which blooms abundantly in early spring, in a beautiful palette of cherry red, pink, and cream-white tones. Its pleasantly scented small pea-like flowers are very popular with bees. This fast-growing bush can be grown in a large container or in the ground, in light, even sandy and poor, non-calcareous soil. It is a very beautiful variety, to be planted in a large rockery, a flower bed, or on a sunny slope. 

Cytisus 'Hollandia' belongs to the large Fabaceae family. Its ancestor, Cytisus x praecox, is a hybrid obtained by cross-breeding C. multiflorus and C. purgans. Quite close to Cytisus scoparius, this broom has a slightly denser habit and blooms earlier in the season, from the end of March to early May depending on the varieties and the climate. It is a hardy bush, with a fast growth rate but a short lifespan. It prefers fairly poor, sandy, non-calcareous soils. Its resistance to drought is good once it is well established.

'Hollandia', reaching 1.5m (5ft) in all directions, develops a bushy, erect, dense habit, but with a light appearance, due to its thin stems and sparse small leaves. The flexible, arching stems retain their green colour all year round, even in winter. They bear ephemeral, simple, narrow, alternate leaves, 5 to 10mm (0.2 to 0.4in) in length, which quickly fall in spring. In April, a multitude of highly scented papilionaceous flowers open, 1 to 2cm (0.4 to 1in) in length, grouped towards the upper part of the branches. The colour of the flowers evolves as they bloom: carmine red dominates at first, then the flowers open revealing shades of pink and pale-yellow to cream-white. They are followed by the formation of small black pod-shaped fruits. The fruit pods can stain whatever they fall on, so prune the bush after flowering. The lifespan of this plant is quite short, about 5 to 8 years.

Cytisus 'Hollandia' is worth seeing in spring. The spectacle of its profusion of fragranced flowers is a marvel. Place it at the corner of the house, on a large slope, or in a large shrub bed serving as a focal point in the centre of a small garden. It can be planted with many shrubs with beautiful foliage, or spring-flowering or summer-flowering varieties: other white or pink-flowering brooms, abelias, a small white spirea (Spiraea prunifolia) or Berberis 'Harlequin' with pink foliage, for example.