Laburnum belongs to the pea family. It is a deciduous tree which can grow to a height of 20 feet. The plant derives its name from a Latin word which means ‘tree’.

The flowers resemble pea flowers which are seen in yellow colours and cluster along the upper part of the stalk. The flowers hang like a pendulum and blossom from mid July to early May. Because of the beautiful yellow flowers, the plant was often mentioned in old poems as the “golden chain tree”. The flowers attract various insects which help in the pollination of the plant. Each leaf contains three leaflets and is somewhat similar to the leaves of clover. Almost every part of the plant is highly poisonous, especially the seeds, and it may cause death if consumed. The extremely hard and dark chocolate colour wood of laburnum was formerly used in place of ebony. The tree is also popularly included for decoration in gardens.

Laburnum can be found in southern Europe, from France to the Balkan Peninsula. The plant grows well in soils that contain lime.