PLANT PORN: GORSE

The unassuming common gorse is easily overlooked, probably because it's so abundant that it blends into landscapes seamlessly.

THE DEETS

Throughout spring, these large, spiky evergreen shrubs burst into flower with their distinctive, coconut-perfumed, yellow blossoms everywhere from heaths and coastal grasslands to towns and gardens.

FUN FACT

Common gorse has been used for centuries for all kinds of purposes, from fuel for firing bread ovens, to making floor and chimney brushes and as a colourant for painting Easter eggs. Foraging fanatics might be familiar with this one, with its flowers (eating in moderation) famed for their almond and coconutty taste.