Central-Southern Europe
"The common laburnum is a supplemental pollen source for insects at the turn of spring and summer. Bumblebees [in South-Eastern Poland] were predominant among the insects visiting Laburnum anagyroides flowers. These insects readily foraged on laburnum flowers to gather pollen from which they formed yellow-orange pollen loads.... The flowers of the studied species have created a pump mechanism of pollen presentation, which promotes several repeated visits to the same flower by insects." [1]
"[In J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth Setting]... the hanging clusters of yellow flowers of Laurelin are clearly reminiscent of those of the golden-chain tree (Laburnum)..." [2]
"In the British Isles, this species was also grown in the past for wood fuel and was commonly used as a hedge plant. Numerous studies conducted in different countries relate to the poisonous and medicinal properties of this taxon." [3]
"In a few papers, Laburnum anagyroides is mentioned as a species that can be used in beekeeping. Its entomophilous flowers, devoid of nectaries, only provide floral pollen to bees. This raw material is a source of protein food for insects, and its abundance near an apiary is necessary in the spring during the development of bee families." [1]
"The common laburnum (Laburnum anaoyroides Med. subfamily Papilioneideae) is widely grown as an ornamental in British gardens." [3]
[1] Stawiarz, E., & Wróblewska, A. (2013). Flowering dynamics and pollen production of Laburnum anagyroides Med. under the conditions of South-Eastern Poland. Journal of Apicultural Science, 57(2), 103-115.
[2] Judd, W. S., & Judd, G. A. (2017). Flora of Middle-Earth: plants of JRR Tolkien's legendarium. Oxford University Press.
[3] Sato, H., Tahara, S., Ingham, J. L., & Dziedzic, S. Z. (1995). Isoflavones from pods of Laburnum anagyroides. Phytochemistry, 39(3), 673-676.
