Gorse

If you travel around in the area of Inverness you will see these arbusts coloring the landscape in beautiful yellow patches. I just had to quote this: "Folklore says you should only kiss your beloved when gorse is in flower. The good news is that its pretty much in bloom whatever the time of year! In fact, a few yellow flowers can generally be seen even in harsh winter months."

Growing to 2–3 metres tall, it is an evergreen shrub. The young stems are green, with the shoots and leaves modified into green spines. The flowers are yellow, 1–2 centimetres long, with the pea-flower structure typical of the Fabaceae.