Seasonal Wild Flowers

Hairy Greenweed

Genista pilosa

Fabaceae

May to June

It is native in a few sites in Cornwall and a few other

places.

It is planted throughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Hairy Greenweed

It is found on heathland or grassland on coastal cliffs.

It used to grow on heaths in the South but has

disappeared.

It is also grown in gardens and planted beside footpaths

and cycle tracks.

Hairy Greenweed is a native, nitrogen-fixing, prostrate to

erect, scrambling herb growing to 50cm or more.

Flowers are yellow (1cm across) and in spikes.

The sepals are very hairy.

The leaves and stems are glaucous-green and hairy.

Unlike similar sized leguminous herbs and shrubs, it is

unarmed, i.e., no thorns or prickles.

Previous page: Hairy Buttercup
Next page: Hairy Tare

Hairy Greenweed by cycle track, Lune estuary

Flower head

Hairy sepals and pedicels

Undivided leaves, hairy stem

Glaucous (greyish-blue) leaves