Laburnum alpinum Pendulum

Laburnum alpinum Pendulum is a particularly graceful variety of Alpine broom that stands out for its slightly weeping habit. It attracts great attention in spring, adorned with long and slender clusters of yellow flowers that perfume a whole area of the garden. Very hardy, this deciduous shrub will already have a significant impact after 3 to 4 years of growth. In addition to all these qualities, it is accessible to all gardeners, even beginners. This broom, one of the most beautiful in spring, tolerates mediocre and limestone soils and prefers sunny exposures.

The 'Pendulum' Broom is derived from Laburnum alpinus, native to the sunny Alps and the Southeastern Pre-Alps. It belongs to the legume family, like wisteria or alfalfa. This fast-growing shrub has an upright, spreading, and slightly weeping habit. It develops a short trunk, on which flexible lateral branches grow, gracefully trailing. At maturity, it measures on average 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in all directions, but can exceed 3 m (9 ft 10 in) in height under optimal conditions. In May-June depending on the climate, it produces beautiful pendulous, slender, and long clusters, measuring 15 to 40 cm (5.9 to 15.7 in) long. Its honey-scented yellow flowers, sometimes tinged with orange, have a diameter of about 14 to 17 mm (0.6 to 0.7 in). Its deciduous foliage, with a shiny dark green colour and a velvety underside, are composed of three ovate leaflets, 4-8 cm (1.6-3.1 in) long, and turns a beautiful golden-yellow autumn colour before falling. Its bark is smooth, with a greyish-green colour, and the young branches are covered with small hairs. This shrub produces elongated brown pod-like fruits, containing highly toxic seeds if ingested.

The Alpine Broom gives its best when placed in isolation, but it also thrives in a large shrub bed. It is a very hardy shrub (down to -20 °C (-4 °F)) and is highly resistant to pollution. To create a magical scene, plant several specimens, spaced 3 m (9 ft 10 in) apart on either side of a pathway: the branches will join together to form an arch from which its clusters will cascade down. Between the plants, install ornamental garlic with upright stems crowned with large pompons to mark the path of this verdant grotto. Walk underneath and let yourself be carried away by its flowers with a sweet honey fragrance. You can also place it in a rustic hedge, accompanied by other shrubs such as lilac, tree-form wisteria, mock orange, hazelnuts, apple trees, and flowering cherry trees.

Caution: all parts of the plant are toxic, especially the seeds. Broom wood is highly prized by turners and cabinetmakers for its strong colour, shine, hardness, weight, and excellent polishability.