The flowers of Alpine Laburnum are even more showy than those of its close relative, Common Laburnum. Also known as Scotch or Scottish Laburnum, although the species has no specific connection with the nation. Introduced by 1731.

Similar to Common Laburnum, but does not extend to Romania or Hungary, favouring higher altitude sites and wetter soils. Less widely distributed in Britain and Ireland (but probably under-recorded).

As for Common Laburnum, with which it is also a parent of the naturally occurring Hybrid Laburnum (Laburnum × watereri).

Differs from Common Laburnum by being taller (12m) and upright, funnel-shaped, with browner, rougher bark, soon-glabrous twigs, larger darker almost-glabrous leaves, and longer (40cm) but less densely flowered racemes with a winged pod suture. Hybrid Laburnum is intermediate, with twigs soon glabrous and racemes as long as Alpine Laburnum but as densely flowered as Common Laburnum, less often setting the highly toxic seed pods.

The hybrid form, often labelled as the cultivar ‘Vossii’, is the most commonly planted of the laburnums, typically grafted in horticulture. Plant in any well-drained soil where the stunning floral display can be best enjoyed.