Laburnum tree pods

Wislog · #1 (**permalink**) 31-10-2009, 11:01 AM

We bought and moved into a new house earlier this year. In the garden is a beautiful laburnum tree which had a magnificent canopy of flowers in June or July. At the same time the pods appeared and grew and turned a darker colour but none of them fell which completely ruined the beauty of the tree. The leaves are now all fallen but the pods are hanging there still. Is this normal? It would be almost impossible to pick the pods off by hand because of the location of the tree but it is not at all attractive as it is!
Can someone advise me please?!

The Woodman · #2 (**permalink**) 31-10-2009, 11:38 AM

I don't know about advice but what you have described is normal for the Laburnum tree. The seed pods are part of the trees annual cycle and as much part of it as the flowers.

From Wiki - Be aware that
All parts of the plant are poisonous and can be lethal if consumed in excess. Symptoms of laburnum poisoning may include intense sleepiness, vomiting, convulsive movements, coma, slight frothing at the mouth and unequally dilated pupils. In some cases, diarrhea is very severe and at times the convulsions are markedly tetanic. The main toxin in the plant is Cytisine, a nicotinic receptor agonist. It is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Buff-tip.

Every year children are taken to hospital after eating seeds from this tree.

Enjoy your Laburnum.

fairplay · #3 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 01:22 AM

Had to chuckle at this one.
It seems Wislog wanted advice somewhere along the lines of "Tell it it's a bad tree, and then the pods will drop"

Neil.

animartco · #4 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 03:08 PM

Yes it is normal for laburnum to retain their pods. I quite like to see retained fruits on trees. Better than bare branches no? By the way you do know that they are poisonous? So don't let the sprogs pretend they're peas.
Oh sorry forgot to read other posts first.

Wislog · #5 (**permalink**) 12-04-2010, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by animartco

Yes it is normal for laburnum to retain their pods. I quite like to see retained fruits on trees. Better than bare branches no? By the way you do know that they are poisonous? So don't let the sprogs pretend they're peas.
Oh sorry forgot to read other posts first.

I agree, during the winter it has been nice to have the pods hanging there but last summer it looked as though half the tree was dead! Anyway, I now know that there is nothing wrong with the tree and also that I am not supposed to be trimming it or picking the pods off myself.
I do know about the pods being poisonous and am very careful when any children are around!
Thanks.