Shrubs🌿 Native to the NetherlandsVery hardy — tolerates frost down to -20°C

Hairy Greenweed

Name: Hairy Greenweed (Genista pilosa)
Brand: HSMN Planten
SKU: 6a5f7df5aa690b1d105014ab

Genista pilosa

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Hairy Greenweed is a low, originally native dwarf shrub for dry, acidic, and nutrient-poor sandy soil. The plant grows in a creeping to low-ascending manner and blooms in spring and early summer with bright yellow pea-like flowers. Due to its low growth habit, Hairy Greenweed is well-suited for heath gardens, poor natural gardens, sand gardens, dry slopes, and natural forest edges. This species belongs in open, sunny, and lime-poor habitats. Hairy Greenweed tolerates poor soil well but performs poorly on fertilized, nutrient-rich, wet, or heavy clay soil. The plant is especially suitable for natural plantings where a barren, native heath atmosphere is desired.

Year calendar

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
🌸Blooms
🐝Provides nectar
🍓Bears fruit
🍂Has autumn colour

Pruning period

✂️Best pruning period: Jul–Aug

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
✂️ Pruning period

Best pruning period

Hairy Greenweed requires little pruning. Prune only lightly after flowering to keep the plant compact. Do not prune deep into old, bare wood, as low broom species often do not resprout well from old wood. On poor soil, the plant naturally remains compact.

Botanical profile

Site & soil

Sun, Half shade

Soil type: Sand, Loam

Moisture need: Dry, Moderately moist, Moist

pH: Acidic (<5.5), Slightly acidic (5.5–6.5)

Nutrient richness: Very nutrient-poor, Nutrient-poor

Humus content: Humus-poor, Moderately humus-rich

Water drainage: Strongly draining, Well draining

Appearance & season

Mature height: 7-80cm

Bloom: May-Jul

Autumn colour: No striking autumn color. Its ornamental value lies primarily in its low growth habit and yellow flowering.

Properties

Salt sensitive: Yes

Edible: No

Scent: The flowers have no strong or distinct scent. Hairy Greenweed is primarily notable for its bright yellow blooms and value to small flower visitors.

Ecological value

Hairy Greenweed is valuable for insects of dry heathlands and poor sandy soils. The yellow flowers are visited by wild bees, bumblebees, and other small flower visitors. Due to its low, creeping growth habit, the plant adds extra structure to the ground layer, where small insects, spiders, and beetles find shelter. Because Hairy Greenweed has declined significantly in the Netherlands and is listed as vulnerable on the Red List, species-authentic and preferably autochthonous plant material holds extra conservation value.

Food web & Biodiversity

🐛 Caterpillars & mothsVery useful

🐝 Bees & bumblebeesVery useful

🪰 HoverfliesUseful

🦋 ButterfliesUseful

🪲 Beetles & insectsVery useful

🐦 BirdsUseful

🐿️ MammalsUseful

🐞 Other animalsUseful

Important nectar source for bees and a host plant for specialized butterflies in sandy areas.

Distribution in the Netherlands