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"
HMS Laburnum (1915) Rock, causing "Mantola"s crew to abandon ship. "U-81" remained in the vicinity until chased away by "Laburnum" when she arrived on the scene hours later. "Laburnum" rescued 176 survivors of "Mantola"s passengers and crew (seven crewmen had been killed by a capsizing lifeboat) but attempts to talk the steamer in tow failed, and "Mantola" sank on 9 February. On 17 February 1917, the Q-ship was torpedoed by the German submarine , but after a "panic party" faked abandoning ship, "U-83" surfaced near "Farnborough" and was sunk by shellfire from the Q-ship. "Farnborough" herself was badly damaged by the torpedo, and