Gorse - broom's evil twin

People may be ambivalent about Scotch Broom, but almost everyone hates Gorse (Ulex europaeus). It, too, is a yellow-flowered member of the Pea Family. Gorse grows more than 6 feet tall and forms dense thickets rendered impassable by stiff 3-inch thorns. It was introduced to Hawaii as hedge material but now infests much of the pastureland it was meant to protect. It came to Oregon as an ornamental and has spread to California and Washington. It is quite inflammable and contributed to the devastation of Bandon during the 1936 fire. It can be removed with the Weed Wrench � after slashing off enough of the top growth to get near the central stem.