Golden Chain Tree - Laburnum x watereri - Pest Free, Disease Resistant, Poisonous!

One part of this tree is the most poisonous of all! But you may still want to grow a Golden Chain Tree in your garden because it is beautiful in bloom, and practically disease resistant and pest-free.

The Golden Chain Tree (Laburnum) is a small, deciduous, flowering tree or large shrub in the pea family (Fabacaea) that grows to 30 feet tall, with an equal spread, at maturity. It has smooth bark, dark green spreading branches and pendulous twigs. The leaves are generally trifoliate and oval with long petioles, smooth on the upper side and hairy on the underside. The pea-like, fragrant, yellow flowers bloom during May and June.

Grow Golden Chain Tree in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil in a sunny spot with afternoon shade. The tree does not do well in the heat and humidity of the deep South (south of USDA Zone 7) and prefers climates where moderate seasons.

Golden Chain Tree can be pruned to shape as a flowering hedge but to promote a tree form remove root suckers as they appear. Remove the seedpods as they are not ornamental and are poisonous.