Laburnum.

[JDog]

I took this photo in a friend's garden on Monday. Yesterday in strong winds and heavy rain it blew over.

[marsh man]

That is stunning and how sad it got blown over .  

[Miserableolgit]

That’s a shame. Quite a few branches broken over this way too. Full leaf and wind to blame.

[JohnfromUK]

That's sad.  When I was a boy some friends of my parents had a huge and very old laburnum in their garden and it was almost more chains and props than tree.  Looked lovely when in flower, but a bit like some piece of industrial archaeology in winter!  There is a wonderful long laburnum arch/tunnel at a National Trust place (possibly Bodnant in north Wales?)

[Keith 66]

Laburnum timber is lovely stuff, In France is was know as Bois De Arc, or Wood of the bow as it is said to have similar properties to Yew.

The sapwood is a pale cream with a dark orangy brown heartwood. Sapwood is very susceptible to woodworm etc the heartwood isnt!

It used to be highly sought after for instrument making etc. Its also poisonous like its seeds so working or sanding it you need a dust mask.

[Imperfection]

That picture reminded me of my youth. My parents had a big one in back garden and looked wonderful when in flower.

Was only when i grew up did i find out its seed pods are poisonous. Don't think our parents even knew.

[Dougy]

17 hours ago, Imperfection said:

That picture reminded me of my youth. My parents had a big one in back garden and looked wonderful when in flower.

Was only when i grew up did i find out its seed pods are poisonous. Don't think our parents even knew.

We too had one, but were made aware not to eat anything off the tree. (Dad was a very keen gardener) Poisonous from roots to seed pods..

[Zoli 12 guage]

37 minutes ago, Dougy said:

We too had one, but were made aware not to eat anything off the tree. (Dad was a very keen gardener) Poisonous from roots to seed pods..

when i was in primary school SYCC cut all of them on school property down,county wide.

for the very reason regarding the seed pods.

[Dougy]

1 hour ago, Zoli 12 guage said:

when i was in primary school SYCC cut all of them on school property down,county wide.

for the very reason regarding the seed pods.

Typical mampy pampy state. Remove the risk I understand but you also remove the common sense. 

[JohnfromUK]

On 23/05/2024 at 13:12, JohnfromUK said:

There is a wonderful long laburnum arch/tunnel at a National Trust place (possibly Bodnant in north Wales?)

It was Bodnant.  NT have posted these today (their photos)

 

[martinj]

I was just admiring some spectacular specimens last weekend, you can't beat them for the show of flowers - like golden rain.

Unfortunately all parts of the tree are poisonous so we had to take extra care when we had a springer a pup that liked to chew wood 

[12gauge82]

8 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

It was Bodnant.  NT have posted these today (their photos)

 

Wow, that is stunning 

[ditchman]

On 23/05/2024 at 23:06, Keith 66 said:

Laburnum timber is lovely stuff, In France is was know as Bois De Arc, or Wood of the bow as it is said to have similar properties to Yew.

The sapwood is a pale cream with a dark orangy brown heartwood. Sapwood is very susceptible to woodworm etc the heartwood isnt!

It used to be highly sought after for instrument making etc. Its also poisonous like its seeds so working or sanding it you need a dust mask.

that is interesting....i wonder if there are any bows out there made from Laburnum..................we had quite a rare on in our garden it was a tricolour