Giesta is a shrub with beautiful and aromatic flowers that signify preference and renovation.
The brooms are part of the family Fabaceae and can reach up to three meters and have (in most cases) yellow flowers.
There are several genera of broom, such as esparto, whose scientific name is spartium junceum and is also known as garden broom. This genre has its origins in the Mediterranean area and is used not only for decoration, but also for making strings. The term spartium comes from the Greek and serves to describe plants whose textile fibers were used to make rope.
Another well-known species of broom is the Cytisus striatus, which originated in Portugal and because it is very abundant, is often considered as a weed. The branches of this broom are used to make brooms. Even today in villages, there are people who make handcrafted brooms by tying several broom branches. For this reason, the Cytisus striatus is known in English as portuguese broom, which means Portuguese broom.
A characteristic of species belonging to the family
Fabaceae is that they are shrubs used to restore the fertility of land where cereals are grown.The white broom, in addition to being known for gardening, is also famous for the quality of its flowers, which are widely used in the production of honey.
This lovely bush is also involved in a story relating to the life of Jesus. According to the story, after Jesus was born, King Herod had all the newborns killed to eliminate Jesus. According to legend, one of King Herod's helpers, to prevent many children from being killed, suggested that a broom branch be placed at the door of Jesus' house. In this way, Herod's soldiers would know which house Jesus was in. However, the next day, when the soldiers searched the house, they were astonished because all the houses were decorated with broom at the doors. Thus, the broom is related to the failed attempt to kill Jesus.
