White broom

According to the Bible, the prophet Elijah rested beneath this desert shrub – in Jordan it grows in sandy wadis as far as Wadi Rum.

White broom is a shrub growing to 3 m, with long, thin, almost leafless silvery branches – photosynthesis takes place mainly in the green bark. Between late winter and spring it is covered in masses of small, white, fragrant pea flowers. Its roots reach deep into the sand, allowing it to survive long droughts and stabilise dunes. It provides shade and shelter for desert animals.

Significance in the country

Retama is one of the most characteristic shrubs of Jordan’s deserts and wadis, growing on the sands of Wadi Araba and Wadi Rum, among other places. The Bedouin used it for firewood and as fodder for camels.

Where it grows

Grows on sandy ground and in the beds of wadis in southern and western Jordan – in Wadi Rum, Wadi Araba, beside the Dead Sea and in the Jordan Valley.

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