A popular garden tree in the UK, the Laburnum is a native of South Central and South East Europe. It can make a substantial tree but more often appears as a multi-stemmed garden shrub if not massacred into an umbrella or lollypop shape. It can be very successful grown on an archway or arbour. The seeds contain cytisine, poisonous to humans (but not to some animals such as deer). The wood has very pale sapwood contracting with a rich, dark brown heartwood making it favourite of woodturners.

The map reference above relates to a mature specimen at the southern end of the Great Lawn. A younger example has been planted near the Herbaceous Borders as part of the Templeton Trail.

Photographs taken in Belfast Botanic Gardens. Copyright FoBBG