Gorse is all over the place like a weed. It is designated a weed in Aotearoa. This is a pity because the bright yellow flowers are very pretty. Most references deal with how to kill it. Gorse has its own defence and it will stab you with its bayonet shaped spines if you mess with it.

It was never a weed in Scotland however, it did get burned as a fuel.

Despite its very pretty flowers you rarely see it in supermarkets or garden centres. Apparently it’s in the same family as peas. I’ll have a closer look later.