Calycotome villosa
(Poir.) Link
Fabaceae
The name of this genus is often spelled Calicotome. We are following IPNI and using Calycotome (http://www.ipni.org/ipni/advPlantNameSearch.do?find_family=&find_genus=Calycotome&find_species=&find_infrafamily=&find_infragenus=&find_infraspecies=&find_authorAbbrev=&find_includePublicationAuthors=on&find_includePublicationAuthors=off&find_includeBasionymAuthors=on&find_includeBasionymAuthors=off&find_publicationTitle=&find_isAPNIRecord=on&find_isAPNIRecord=false&find_isGCIRecord=on&find_isGCIRecord=false&find_isIKRecord=on&find_isIKRecord=false&find_rankToReturn=all&output_format=normal&find_sortByFamily=on&find_sortByFamily=off&query_type=by_query&back_page=plantsearch)
Calicotome villosa (Poir.) Link
Calycotome cretica Presl ex Nyman
Cytisus lanigerus (Desf.) DC.
Spartium lanigerum Desf.
Spartium villosum Poir.
Common Name:
General Information
Calycotome villosa is a much-branched, deciduous shrub that can grow up to 3 metres tall[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It makes a good pioneer species for restoring native woodland and is also grown as an ornamental, where it can be used to form a low, dense hedge.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Mediterranean - Portugal, Spain, Italy, the Balkans, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordon, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia.
Habitat
Dry stony habitats in evergreen scrub near the coast. It is especially common in areas after woodland clearance[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Properties
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Deciduous Shrub |
Height | 2.00 m |
Pollinators | Insects, Cleistogamous |
Self-fertile | Yes |
Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Calycotome villosa is native to the Mediterranean with its hot, dry summers and cool moist winters. It is not hardy outside the milder regions of the temperate zone. It can tolerate short-lived temperatures falling as low as -5 to -10°c if it is given perfect drainage[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Succeeds in a very well-drained soil in a sunny position[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Plants dislike root disturbance[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
] and should be put into their final positions as soon as possible.
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[
755- Title
- Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The flowers and leafy stems are antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumor and cytotoxic. It has been used in the treatment of furuncles, cutaneous abscess and chilblains[
1330- Title
- Antioxidant Activities of Different Parts of Calicotome villosa (Poiret) Link (Leguminosae) from Turkey
- Publication
-
- Author
- Murat Turan; Ummahan Öz; Cennet Özay; Ramazan Mammadov
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2015
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The plant contains an essential oil, flavones, isoflavones, alkaloids and triterpenes[
1330- Title
- Antioxidant Activities of Different Parts of Calicotome villosa (Poiret) Link (Leguminosae) from Turkey
- Publication
-
- Author
- Murat Turan; Ummahan Öz; Cennet Özay; Ramazan Mammadov
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2015
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The thorny plants can be used for low hedging[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant quickly invades areas that have been deforested, where it can create suitable conditions for the forest to become re-established. Hence it is an excellent pioneer species for restoring native woodlands and also for establishing woodland gardens[
1309- Title
- The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
- Publication
-
- Author
- Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
- Publisher
- University of Wisconsin
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-333-32221-5
- Description
- An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest pre-soaking the seed for 12 - 24 hours (by which time it should have swollen up) in warm water and sowing it in a greenhouse in early spring. Pot up the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse, planting out in late spring or early summer in their permanent positions.
Cuttings of half ripe wood, mid summer in a frame. It is probably best to put each cutting in its own pot.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.