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Cytisus Goldfinch - Is this normal
Ice_Twin
Posts: 82
Still very new to the world of plants and i'm fretting like a worried parent. Pretty please can someone tell me if my Cytisus goldfinch is normal or should I be worried.
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Those are seedpods
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
looks pretty normal, I prune mine back after flowering to keep it bushy
Looks fine to me Ice
What is it that's worrying you - is it the pods? They're just where the flowers have gone to seed, a bit like a pea or bean flower. The flowers are quite similar on brooms. I've just recently run my hand over mine to remove them. They will seed around if you let them. I had a white one in a previous garden which produced some offspring. I didn't notice them right away and unfortunately they don't come true from seed - mine were purpley/cream.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yes it's the pods, they were green and now seem to be turning black, I was really worried black was a bad thing
That means they're ripening - then they'll begin to split open - that's when the seeds are ripe and ready to be sown so you can have more ..........
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Oww so much to learn. Right does this mean now is a good time to take off the pod things and put them into new pots of their own?
Thank you all for being so patient with me
No, they're ripening... rsther like a green peper turning red.... or acorns going from green to brown.
If they bother you, snip them off while they're still green.
That does two things: Encourage the plant to flower more, and also to divert its energies to other parts of the plant; while a plant devotes its energy to seed-maturation, other aspects will slow down.
It's not a massively demonstrable, evident difference - but it makes a difference all the same!
I would cut it back now quite hard, but only into green wood, not brown. Looking at your pic. I would cut to about 1 foot above soil level. If you are going to leave it in the pot you will want it to stay relatively small and not romp away. If you leave it it will get leggy and outgrow its pot.You will get the benefit next year. The seeds should be viable if they are at the dried stage, and you could try to grow some babies for you and your friends?
Sounds like a plan
I will get onto it, and i'll also have a go at trying to grow new ones 
Thank you