Densely branched shrub to 2 metres, main spines stout, 12 to 25 mm long and furrowed. Flowers golden yellow, 15 to 20 mm long, sepals almost as long as the petals. Pod 11 to 20 mm densely hairy.

Western Gorse (Ulex gallii).  Western Gorse is present in VC55 on Charnwood Forest and the former coalfield in the NW; it has moderately grooved spines, flowers mainly in summer, and has bracteoles less than twice as wide as petioles.  There is some overlap and they do hybridise.  

Spines deeply grooved; flowers mainly in winter/spring; bracteoles more than twice or twice as wide as petioles. 

Photographs of shoot with details of spines/bracteoles.

Grassland heaths, hedgerows, roadsides etc.

All year round especially late winter and early spring.

Evergreen shrub, flowering throughout the year.

Widespread and common in Britain.

Quite common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 301 of the 617 tetrads.