Laburnum anagyroides plant contain cytisine and are poisonous if consumed. The wood is hard and heavy, of a yellow/brown colour, ideal for making posts, for woodturning and as fuel. In the past (and today on historic re-enactments) it was used for making bows. The tree is also known as "false ebony" since the wood from very old specimens could be used in place of ebony. "Laburnum anagyroides" is cultivated as an ornamental tree. The most common ornamental plant in the genus is a hybrid between this species and "Laburnum alpinum" — Laburnum × watereri. The English poet Francis Thompson described the "laburnum"
Laburnum anagyroides in one of his poems: The writer J. R. R. Tolkien was inspired by the "laburnum" for his creation of Laurelin, one of the two mythological trees in "The Silmarillion", and Tolkien's description of it is strongly influenced by Thompson's verses. Laburnum anagyroides Laburnum anagyroides, the common laburnum, golden chain or golden rain, is a species in the subfamily Faboideae, and genus "Laburnum". "Laburnum alpinum" is closely related. It is native to Central and Southern Europe. The plant grows and flowers in damp and mild habitats, especially in the calcareous soils of Southern Europe. The plant is a small deciduous