Common gorse - Ulex europaeus

Common Name :	Common gorse, Gorse, Furze, etc.
Botanical Name :	Ulex europaeus
Family :	Fabaceae
Photo Taken :	Ireland

Common gorse (also known as only Gorse) is a very common plant in Ireland. This plant is native to the British isles and the western Europe. This is an invasive shrubby weed plant that grows everywhere in Ireland. Binomial name of the plant is Ulex europaeus. This belongs to the plant family Fabaceae.

Common gorse (Ulex europaeus) is an evergreen perennial shrubby plant that can grow 2-3 meter in height. Initial leafs of this plant are trifoliate but later on they become thorny. As the plant grow miles after mile as a thick carpet, it becomes very hard to penetrate because of those thorns. The stem of the plant becomes woody when the plant matures and the diameter of the stem can grow around 1-2 inches.

Common gorse (Ulex europaeus) flowers are yellow in colour and they bloom in a cluster. Flowers are typical legume flower that is having upper and lower petals. During the blooming season (usually spring in Ireland) the field gets covered with yellow. The flower has a mild fragrance. But as they bloom in a huge number, hence produce a nice fragrance. Fruits are legume and having 2-3 small seeds inside. Apart from the blooming season Gorses are seen blooming in a small amount in other seasons.

As the Gorse plants are thorny and grows in a huge number, that's why it doesn't have any threat (i.e. from grazing animals). Also it produces myriad seeds after blooming which helps its spread. That's why it became an invasive weed. Previously the farmers in Ireland used to burn those bushes (later those ashes helped as a fertiliser to the land). But there is a proposal pending for not to burn bushes as it can burn other species (which may never recover the fire). Not sure whether it is passed or not.

A group of European tourists having a rest amid of Gorse field during their Howth's cliff walking.

Photos of these Common gorse (Ulex europaeus) were taken from Ireland during March and April of 2016.


This article has written by Lonely Traveler,
for the blog https://icflora.blogspot.com/