Bright rays of canary yellow blooms line the winding roads in the Tuscan hills as if reflecting back towards the sun. Rigid, green stems anchor the soft, golden petals that fill the coastal air with the sweetest scent. In this magical context, you can’t help but smile and think, “Summer is here.”
The vibrant Genista (ginestra in Italian) is commonly called, “broom” or “Spanish broom” in English. If the flowers look like sweet pea it’s because they share the same legume family, Fabaceae. Look but don’t eat, though. The fruit, and everything else, of these beauties is not digestible.
But onto why we’re here; the scent. From spring to early summer these flamboyant shrubs paint the Mediterranean hillsides in swaths of bright yellow color and perfume the air with intense honey and vanilla notes like scented wands. There’s even a touch of creamy buttery-ness prompting a desire to find the nearest bakery for coffee and pastry! The genista is the perfect visual and olfactory gateway to summer with its sunshine blooms and joyous scent all wrapped up in sugary goodness – but without the guilt.
