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  3. Ulex europaeus

Ulex europaeus

Basic information
Scientific name Ulex europaeus (No picture)
Common names Common gorse
Higher taxon Fabaceae, Fabales, Magnoliopsida, Magnoliophyta
Natural range W Europe to Italy.
Habitat Pasture, shrub, fruit garden, beach, vacancy, along canal, swamp, etc., with sunshine.
Invasion information
Range in Japan Kanagawa, Wakayama, and Shimane Prefs., and Shikoku. Range in Japan
Origin Unknown.
Date There is a record of cultivation in 1886 at Koishikawa Botanical Garden, Tokyo. The first record of establishment was in 1950, at Yokohama, Kanagawa Pref.
Route Deliberate: As ornamental plant.
Impact Competition with native, cultivated plants, pasture, etc. Altering soil condition by fixing nitrogen. Extreme fire hazard due to oily organs and dead material.
Native organism(s) affected: Native and cultivated plants, pasture, etc.
Regulation in Japan No action for prevention, mitigation, control, or eradication.
Introduced range in other countries China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Spain, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Costa Rica, Peru, Uruguay, Falkland, St. Helena, Mauritius, Reunion, etc.
Reference Notes
  • DECO (ed) (2006) Dictionary of Alien Species. Tokyo-Shoseki, Tokyo (in Jpn)
  • Encyclopedia of Life (Accessed on 2011-1-27) http://www.eol.org/
  • ISSG. Global Invasive Species Database (GISD) (Accessed on 2011-1-27) http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/
  • JWRC (ed) (2008) A Photographic Guide to the Invasive Alien Species in Japan. Heibonsha, Tokyo (in Jpn)
  • Osada (1976) Colored Illustrations of Naturalized Plants of Japan. Hoikusha, Osaka (in Jpn)
100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species.