# Golden Chain Tree (*Laburnum anagyroides*)

The Golden Chain Tree is a beautiful tree with long, hanging clusters of bright yellow flowers. Its seeds are poisonous if eaten, so it's important to admire them from a safe distance.

- **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate
- **Habitat:** Gardens, Parks
- **Also known as:** Laburnum

![Golden Chain Tree](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Laburnum_anagyroides_03.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Laburnum_anagyroides_03.jpg)

## Appearance

The Golden Chain Tree is a small, deciduous tree known for its spectacular display of bright yellow, pea-like flowers that hang in long, pendulous clusters, creating the appearance of shimmering golden chains.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Fabales
- **Family:** Fabaceae
- **Genus:** Laburnum

## Interesting facts

- All parts of this tree, especially the seeds, contain a potent neurotoxin and are very poisonous!
- Despite being poisonous, it's often pruned into stunning archways in famous European gardens.
- It's a cousin to peas and beans, belonging to the same plant family, Fabaceae!
- Its scientific name, Laburnum, might come from 'labrum', meaning 'lip', possibly referring to its flower shape.

## Special abilities

- **Toxic Defense:** Golden Chain Tree has powerful toxins, especially cytisine, in all its parts that help it defend against most hungry animals.
- **Soil Enrichment:** Golden Chain Tree can enrich the soil by hosting special bacteria that turn air nitrogen into plant food.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 4-7 m
- **Spread:** 3-5 m
- **Edible:** No
- **Size:** 20-40 cm
- **Lifespan:** 20-50 years
- **Fruit Type:** Pod
- **Growth Rate:** Medium
- **Leaf Type:** Deciduous

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — fixes nitrogen for tree's growth
- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from flowers
- **Eats:** Black bean aphid (*Aphis fabae*) — feeds on sap from young shoots and leaves

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Pendulous Form](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pendulous-form): Describing a plant or anatomical structure that droops or hangs downwards.
- [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.
- [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

## Collections

- [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees)

## Safety

**Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate

Avoid touching or eating any part of the tree as its seeds are toxic if ingested.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Golden Chain Tree?

Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Golden Chain Tree?

4-7 m

### How wide does Golden Chain Tree spread?

3-5 m

### Is Golden Chain Tree edible?

No

### How big is Golden Chain Tree?

20-40 cm

### How long does Golden Chain Tree live?

20-50 years

### Where is Golden Chain Tree usually found?

Gardens, Parks

### What kind of fruit does Golden Chain Tree produce?

Pod

## Where to spot

- [Colman Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colman-park) — Washington, US · Park

## More Trees

- [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*)
- [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*)
- [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*)
- [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*)

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Source: [Golden Chain Tree: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-chain-tree)