 Cytisus scoparius, Scotch broom We can think of at least 180 great forest garden & perennial crops for cold climate Sweden. Want to hear about them? Over the course of the next year we will profile 5 a week on the blog. Perennial plants and crops offer a low energy, oil & resource input based foundation for future-proof agricultures. By default if an agriculture is to be called regenerative the bottom line is that it must be soil building, not soil depleting. Relentless deep tillage & poor soil husbandry (wifery?!) contributes to the majority of the 24 billion tons of topsoil lost every year on planet water. We are going to be focused on holistic polyculture grazing and perennial production at ridgedale over most of the site as this represents the most effective way to restore our degraded landscape, produce high value produce and ensure the future resource base we are managing holistically for in our decision making.  Genus Cytisus Species scoparius Common Name Scotch broom Form shrub Habit clumping Origin Europe Light sun Moisture dry to mesic Nitrogen High Broom is native to many parts of Europe, and as a pioneer Nitrogen fixing shrub has it's place in hedge & agroforestry systems. It has marginal edible & medicinal uses too, although today has become uncommon as the composition of active ingredients changes throughout the year making it unreliable. The flower buds of broom can be pickled and used as a substitute for capers. They can also be added to salad. Some caution is advised, as the plant has low levels of toxicity, however small amounts are likely to have no adverse effects. The tender green tops of the plant have been used like hops to give a bitter flavour to beer and to render it more intoxicating. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute. Broom is a bitter narcotic herb that depresses the respiration and regulates heart action. It acts upon the electrical conductivity of the heart, slowing and regulating the transmission of the impulses. The young herbaceous tips of flowering shoots are cardiotonic, cathartic, diuretic, emetic and vasoconstrictor. The seeds can also be used. The plant is used internally in the treatment of heart complaints, and is especially used in conjunction with Convallaria majalis. The plant is also strongly diuretic, stimulating urine production and thus countering fluid retention. Since broom causes the muscles of the uterus to contract, it has been used to prevent blood loss after childbirth. Use this herb with caution since large doses are likely to upset the stomach. An excellent fibre is obtained from the bark, it is used in the manufacture of paper, cloth and nets. It is not as strong as the fibre from the Spanish broom (Spartium junceum). The branches are harvested in late summer or autumn, the leaves removed and the stems steamed until the fibres can be stripped. The fibres are cooked for 3 hours in lye then put in a ball mill for 3 hours. The paper is pale tan in colour. The bark is also a good source of tannin. A yellow and a brown dye are obtained from the bark. A yellow dye is obtained from the flowering stem. A green dye is obtained from the leaves and young tops. The branches are used to make baskets, brushes & brooms. They are also sometimes used for thatching roofs and as substitutes for reeds in making fences or screens. An essential oil from the flowers is used in perfumery. Growing well on dry banks and on steep slopes, it is an effective sand binder and soil stabiliser. Broom is one of the first plant to colonize sand dunes by the coast. The plant attracts insects away from nearby plants. OUR FRIENDS AT PFAF HAVE AN AMAZING DATABASE OF SPECIES (UK BASED);Want to help us plant our awesome perennial Systems? We are offering what we think is the most exciting Permaculture training going on in Europe. We might be wrong, but check out this awesome learning opportunity- the 10 Week internship includes over 530hrs of curriculum based learning & 5 Certificate Courses with some of the planets leading practitioners/ designer joining us via conference call as well as local expertise ;
You will also have time each week to be working on a detailed personal design project, with regular feedback from a professional designer and your peers. You are also encouraged to keep a daily Learning Journal to build up a portfolio.
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