During May in Seattle, the cheerful yellow flowers of this small tree stand out strongly against the abundance of fresh spring greenery, white flowers and occasional purpleleaved trees. What I published in my book Trees of Seattle, is reproduced here:
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| "This nitrogen-fixing tree produces basal suckers, reseeds freely and is relatively short-lived. The clover-like leaves fold up at night. Though rarely growing to more than 25 feet tall, it has on occasion been measured at over 40 feet, with trunks more than 5 feet around. Cultivars exist but are apparently not present in Seattle. |
| Five inconsistencies stand out: 1) It is a shrub and a tree at the same time: few other plants are so ambiguous in form and size. 2) Its beautiful mien in bloom, gracefully weighed down by large clusters of cheerful yellow flowers from mid-April all the way into June, deteriorates thereafter until autumn, when unsightly dull brown seedpods mar its otherwise bland appearance. 3) Its trunks are coated with notably soft, weak bark --yet the aged wood within is so heavy, hard and tough that it is called False Ebony in Europe. 4) Its seedpods, though closely resembling edible bean or pea pods, are poisonous. 5) Though universally called Goldenchain in modern American books, it is called "Golden Rain" in nearly all European countries and often in England too. On the other hand American writers apply the name "Golden Rain" to quite another tree [Koelreuteria paniculata], which has almost nothing in common with this one except the color of its flowers. |
It is pleasing to close a list of contradictions on a harmonious note: in the Language of Flowers, Goldenchain Tree signifies "forsaken" or "pensive beauty!" One of the most abundant of Seattle trees. But none stand out as remarkable examples. The Arboretum, north of E Madison St, along the road, has many."
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| Now, is more information for you. The tree is native to mountains in France, Switzerland and south Germany. The tallest ever recorded was 56 feet. It had been planted in Holland in 1601, and measured in 1937. The tallest I know is in Seattle, along the stairs of 22nd Ave E between E Howe street & E Blaine street. It is about 35 feet tall. The photo below is several years old. |
| The leaves are trifoliate and clover-like; they have little fall color. Leafminer insects make them unsightly. The flowers are pealike in dangling clusters varying in length from 6 to 12 inches, and are longest on young vigorous trees; shorter on older, tired specimens. The seedpods are 2 to 3 inches long, and have 2 to 9 darkest brown or black seeds. The seeds contain quinolizidine alkaloids such as laburnine, anagyrine, cytosine and cytisine (a toxin present also in lupines and Scotch Broom). Severe human poisonings and even deaths have been caused by Laburnum ingestion. I found no reports that any process exists to detoxify any Laburnum plant parts. |
These days, nobody plants this tree, but instead other Laburnum species or hybrids. The common old Goldenchain tree, however, pops up wild as a weed in old neighborhoods, parks and alleys.
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A wild Laburnum anagyroides in Seattle ; photo by ALJ
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Tall Laburnum anagyroides in Seattle ; photo by ALJ
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Leafminer damaged leaves of Laburnum anagyroides ; photo by ALJ
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Flowers of Laburnum anagyroides ; photo by ALJ
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Old seedpods of Laburnum anagyroides ; photo by ALJ
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