Gorse prickles

Probably the best know saying about this prickly plant is "when the Gorse is out of flower, kissing's out of season".
Have you ever seen the gorse out of flower?

The are, in fact, three species in Britain and each flowers at a slightly different time, making the plants seem to be continually in flower.

Now considered an hazardous annoyance, Gorse used to be amongst the most important plants in Britain and at one time carefully managed by the Furze cutters. Furze was one of its old English names along with furse, to the Scots, whin and if you prefer the Latin, Ulex.

It's spiny stems were crushed and used as fodder for livestock, although horses, ponies and goats munch it happily straight from the plant.

The oils in the wood make it highly inflammable. Burning with as much heat as charcoal, it was highly cherished as fuel, both in homes and for early industries.

A Gorse hedge is impenetrable, and is an important habitat for birds and a food plant for caterpillars of three moth species. In folklore, hedges grown around properties protected the inhabitants from curses and brooms were made to sweep away the attentions of malicious spirits.

Gorse wasn't used often in herbal medicine, though its flowers have been used in the treatment of jaundice and as a treatment for scarlet fever in children. The seed is considered to be astringent and was used in the treatment of diarrhoea and stones.

The bright yellow flowers are delicious in salads and highly nutritious. Picking flowers to make wine is a painful business, but I've done it, and it's a wonderful drink!