Common Name: Scotch Laburnum

General Information

Laburnum alpinum is a deciduous tree with a short, sturdy bole; it usually grows to 6 metres tall, occasionally reaching 9 metres[].
The plant is occasionally harvested from the wild for its wood, and perhaps also for medicinal use. It is used as a rootstock for related ornamental plants and is often grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its floral display in the spring.
Laburnum alpinum has a wide range and its population is likely to be large. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant contain the toxic alkaloid cytisine. Its molecular structure has some similarity to that of nicotine and it has similar pharmacological effects. It is sometimes used as an aid to stopping smoking, and it is also sometimes used recreationally, where it can induce a nicotine-like intoxication. Negative side effects can include nausea, vomiting, convulsions, heart pain, headache and, in larger doses, even death via respiratory failure.

Botanical References

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Range

C. and S. Europe - France, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, through the Balkans to Greece

Habitat

Stony hillsides[] of mountain woodlands and scrub; at elevations from 500 - 2,000 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Laburnum alpinum is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant[].
A very tolerant and easily grown plant, it succeeds in almost any soil or situation[] so long as it is not water-logged[]. It grows well in heavy clay soils and in poor shallow limestone soils[]. Succeeds in cold exposed situations and tolerates industrial pollution[].
This species is closely related to Laburnum anagyroides[].
The flowers have a delicious vanilla scent[].
There are some named varieties, selected for their ornamental value[].
Plants can be successfully transplanted even when quite large[].
A long-lived species - specimens over 400 years old are known[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].
This species is notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves are cholagogue and purgative[].
The leaves have a similar effect to tobacco and have thus been used in treating nicotinism[]. The plant is a rich source of the alkaloid cytisine, a partial nicotinic agonist that is cheap to manufacture and has been used successfully for many years in eastern Europe as a safe and effective smoking cessation aid[].
The plant is very poisonous and should not be used internally without expert supervision[].

Other Uses

Many trees and shrubs of the Leguminosae can be grafted on laburnum, and the abundance of its seed and easy cultivation have made it very much used as a rootstock for many of its allies[].

The seeds contain the poisonous alkaloid 'cytisine'. This has insecticidal properties similar to nicotine (Nicotiana spp.) but cannot be recommended for used since it needs to be used in such a concentration that it can then be absorbed over a wide area of the body with possibly fatal results[].

The heartwood is darkish-brown; it is clearly demarcated from the yellowish-brown sapwood. The wood is straight-grained, very hard, heavy and durable - it has been used as a sustitute for ebony. A very attractive and good quality wood, but only available in small dimensions and of very limited supply. When available it is highly esteemed by turners[] and is occasionally also used for making furniture, inlay, cabinet making and musical instruments[, , , , , , ].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse or cold frame[]. Germination is usually very quick and good[]. Prick out indoor-sown seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer.
Another option is to pre-soak the stored seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow in an outdoor seed bed in early spring. These plants an be allowed to grow on in the seedbed for two years before planting them out in the winter.
Cuttings of mature wood in late winter planted in the open ground[].