The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Chris H on May 31, 2012, 01:26:55 pm

Title: Laburnum?
Post by: Chris H on May 31, 2012, 01:26:55 pm
Not sure where to ask this question, so ended up here :)  I have a new garden and the tree in the middle of it turns out to be a Laburnum, only knew this as it is in flower! Now I know the seed pods are toxic to people, but my question is are they to dogs/ sheep and goats, and what about the leaves and bark. In other words I can trust my better half not to eat it (almost) but if it will harm the animals I will have to remove.
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: Beeducked on May 31, 2012, 01:35:46 pm
From what I understood all parts of laburnum are poisonous.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laburnum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laburnum)
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: HappyHippy on May 31, 2012, 02:24:36 pm
Yup, as far as I know it's pretty much poisionous to everything  :o
 
BUT the wood is highly prized by stickmakers apparently - so might be worth offering it/selling it to someone involved in that craft  ;) 
Karen  :wave:
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: Chris H on May 31, 2012, 02:33:34 pm
Thanks for that, it's chainsaw time ;D ;D
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: Lesley Silvester on May 31, 2012, 02:43:38 pm
Isn't it a shame that something so beautiful should be so deadly?  Hope you manage to sell the wood.
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: Chris H on May 31, 2012, 03:00:53 pm
It is a huge pity as it is beautiful, full of flowers that bring the bees, but I just can not risk it, I have pugs who just love to hoover!
At least I have a husband who is a furniture maker, maybe get him to make something with the wood.
Not sure what to do with the leaves and flowers, I wonder will they compost?
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: HappyHippy on May 31, 2012, 03:07:09 pm
Mmmmm, wouldn't risk it - but maybe the toxicity would drop enough when dead to make it possible  :-\
Fleecewife will know  ;)
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: Fleecewife on May 31, 2012, 03:25:26 pm
Mmmmm, wouldn't risk it - but maybe the toxicity would drop enough when dead to make it possible  :-\
Fleecewife will know  ;)

Fleecewife doesn't know  :D :D :D :eyelashes:   I remember worrying about it when my children were small as it seemed to be in every garden we lived in.  The kids never did eat it though  :yum:  nor did the dogs.  Now we don't have any as every poisonous plant gets the heave-ho from here, except foxglove which I allow to live in my flower garden.   Sorry to be of no help
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: tizaala on May 31, 2012, 03:34:00 pm
Deadly stuff, Just burn everything and kill the root wth diesel to stop regrowth.
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: robert waddell on May 31, 2012, 04:03:53 pm
that was my first job when my parents bought this farm was cut down all the laburnum it never grew back :farmer:
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: Anke on May 31, 2012, 04:07:43 pm
Bonfire time! Then the ash should be good to use for something?
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: omnipeasant on May 31, 2012, 05:43:23 pm
Oops I am on the other side of the fence here. We have a laburnum that was planted by previous owners. Nothing has eaten it, nothing has died and it looks absolutely glorious at the moment. you have to do what you think is right but do a little more research first. 
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: goosepimple on May 31, 2012, 06:35:11 pm
It's toxic level is high and this applies to all parts, so don't let the flowers fall and then don't pick up, you must get rid of everything.  May be worth also checking your garden for rhodedendron and yew which are both fatal in a hugely quick time (yew will kill in 5 minutes) also laurel and azalea are highly poisonous too.
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: Beewyched on May 31, 2012, 10:29:15 pm
Absolutely DEADLY FOR GOATS ... get rid asap.
I remember one of my mother's goats eating the stuff, it even killed her kid through the milk - awfull  :'(
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: omnipeasant on June 01, 2012, 12:43:40 pm
You see, my aniamls must be ignorant and don't know things are poisonous because we have rhodedendi wottsits, foxgloves and azaleas too. Maybe I am being flippant and I certainly wouldn't trust goats  :goat: near the laburnum but like ragwort most animals don't eat poisonous things unless they are really hungry. Okay folks I am ready for the barrage of abuse!!!   :&>
Title: Re: Laburnum?
Post by: Mammyshaz on June 01, 2012, 12:57:54 pm
Is it really worth  :fc: and risking their life?? I know I don't and that's just with my hens and dogs.
As some previous posts have shown in the past, sometimes an innocent nibble has fatal consequences.