Beautiful Golden Chain Tree
Looking for a nice specimen tree that isn’t too large, doesn’t take a lot of maintenance, and puts on spectacular display every spring? Consider planting one or two Golden Chain Trees!
The botanical name for this tree is Laburnum. It originated in Southern Europe. It’s deciduous and reaches 15 to 25 feet in height with a similar spread. A common hybrid is “Vassii” - pronounced “VOSSY-eye.”
The tree will bloom in late spring, sporting spectacular 12 to 20-inch chain-like yellow racemes. Otherwise, the tree doesn’t stand out particularly, but it certainly doesn’t detract either with its addition to the greenery of your yardscape.
BEWARE! All parts of the tree are toxic, so it’s not kid, pet or livestock friendly. However, as long as you don’t have livestock chewing on it, household pets that see it as food, and the little ones are taught not to eat the plants and trees in your yardscape, you should be fine. That’s your decision, but we wanted you to be aware of the potential danger.
Golden Chain Tree will do well in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 7. It prefers neutral to alkaline soils that drain well. So, if you have heavy clay soil, you’ll need to “open up” the soil with an initial strong dose of organic material, and top dressings annually of compost. This approach not only gives it fertilization but suppresses weeds, maintains more even root-zone moisture, and moderates soil temperature ranges.
A couple of words of advice to help you REALLY enjoy this tree.
First, if you are in Zone 5, plant the tree in full sun. If you are in Zone 7, plant it in partial sun. This adjusts the sun exposure for your Zone and will help the tree thrive in your setting.
Second, the tree, no matter what zone you are in, benefits from some shelter. Winter winds can be hard on the tree, so planting it where wind and snow load can be lowered a bit is a good thing. Besides, these types of sitings usually end up being in a fenced area, backyard, or patio, and that means you’ll see and enjoy the tree more often.