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Laburnocytisus 'Adamii'

By Irishkate  
Laburnocytisus 'Adamii' (also known as Adam's laburnum or broom laburnum) is a horticultural curiosity; a small tree which is a graft-chimaera between two species, a laburnum, Laburnum anagyroides, and a broom, Chamaecytisus purpureus (syn. Cytisus purpureus), which bears some shoots typical of the one species, some of the other, and some which are a peculiar mixture of both "parents". +Laburnocytisus 'Adamii' is a legume, a member of the pea family Faboideae (or Papilionaceae, formerly Leguminosae). The plus sign (+) indicates its unusual origin. The plant can also be described by the formula Chamaecytisus purpureus + Laburnum anagyroides. (It has also been known as +Laburnocytisus adamii, as if it were one species, but strictly speaking it is not one species but two.) Only one cultivar, 'Adamii', is known to have arisen from this graft. Contents [hide] 1 Appearance 2 Origin 3 Structure 4 Other graft-chimaeras 5 References 6 External links Appearance[edit] Most of the tree's branches resemble the laburnum in their foliage, which has three leaflets (3-palmate) and 3–6 cm long, yet also with dense clusters of broom-like shoots, also with three leaflets, but only 1 cm long and a darker green. It flowers in late spring or early summer; some branches have long (20–30 cm) racemes of yellow laburnum flowers, while others produce dense clusters of purple broom flowers. Remarkably, most branches will also produce coppery-pink flowers on short (8–15 cm) racemes, which are midway between the two "parents"; the leaves on these shoots are also intermediate. In older specimens, the proportion of broom and mixed tissues tends to decline, and the laburnum to predominate. The tree grows to a height of 7 m (rarely 8 m) and is hardy to USDA plant hardiness zone 5 in northern Europe. It requires moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil and should be grown in a sunny position to flower well. Origin[edit] The plant originated in the nursery of M. Adam near Paris in 1825, probably as an accident;[1] Chamaecytisus purpureus is normally a low-growing plant, and grafting it onto a straight trunk of a related species would be expected to create an attractive, semi-weeping standard. In theory, other +Laburnocytisus could be developed in the same way but using different "parents". Structure[edit] A graft-chimaera is not a true hybrid but a mixture of cells, each with the genotype of one of its "parents"; it is a chimaera, created by grafting, in which the tissue of one plant grows within an outer envelope of the second plant. In the case of +Laburnocytisus 'Adamii', laburnum forms the core, surrounded by the broom.[1] Such plants are often called "graft hybrids", but as they are not true hybrids the use of this term is now discouraged.

My first attempt at a link - thank you Richard!
Taken at the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow.
My thanks also to Graham (digital-boi) for calling into Botanic gardens to find the name of this amazing 'graft-chimera'.
Many thanks to everybody for vs and cs and advice re 'Just a Leaf' yesterday.

Tags: Scotland Glasgow Flowers and plants Botanic gardens Horticulture Laburnocytisus Adamii Hybridandgraft

Voters: jovanovic, touchingportraits, buxton and 42 more

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Comments

Daisymaye Avatar
Daisymaye Plus
15 27 25 Canada
17 Jul 2013 4:00AM
That's pretty cool to have two trees in one. Good shot.......Sandy
PaulLiley Avatar
PaulLiley 15 2 13 United Kingdom
17 Jul 2013 5:18AM
Interesting write up and nice capture. paul
CarolG Avatar
CarolG 17 199 20 Greece
17 Jul 2013 5:36AM
A lovely image, Kate, and what a fascinating tree, a most unusual graft. Very well captured. Carol
andylea Avatar
andylea 15 37 1 United Kingdom
17 Jul 2013 7:44AM
wonderful comp kate brilliant colours and detail belting write up too a cracker nice one Wink
andy
DicksPics Avatar
17 Jul 2013 7:47AM
A beautiful image, Kate and a very interesting and informative description!

Richard
HarrietH Avatar
HarrietH Plus
13 304 Portugal
17 Jul 2013 7:51AM
Beautiful Kate. We have an avenue of white Laburnum near us. I love it.

Harriet
widtink Avatar
widtink 11 406 2 Scotland
17 Jul 2013 8:00AM
Two trees in a wanner lol . Nice write up Kate .

Rod
canonfan Avatar
canonfan 13 7 United Kingdom
17 Jul 2013 8:17AM
Beautiful image accompanied by a very informative description Kate. I hope you are well
Jim
Nikonuser1 Avatar
Nikonuser1 Plus
11 177 16 United Kingdom
17 Jul 2013 8:44AM
Great write up Kate, nice imageSmile

Cliff
rayme330 Avatar
rayme330 12 17 1 United Kingdom
17 Jul 2013 8:56AM
An interesting and well captured image and write-up, Kate. Grin

Ray
Jasper87 Avatar
Jasper87 Plus
14 3.6k 166 England
17 Jul 2013 9:12AM
Fascinating stuff, Kate.

Dave
NDODS Avatar
NDODS Plus
13 7.0k 132 United Kingdom
17 Jul 2013 9:26AM
An extremely interesting and informative pre-narrative supported by a beautifully composed and crafted image Kate

Regards Nathan GrinGrinGrin
Joline Avatar
Joline 17 38 59 United States
17 Jul 2013 11:06AM
How very interesting, and the write up is so informative.
I do like the way this is juxtaposed with the building in the background....very, very nice.
WesternRed Avatar
17 Jul 2013 11:10AM
What lovely blossoms. Well done Kate.
WesternRed.
williamsloan Avatar
17 Jul 2013 12:17PM
a super shot and a great narrative,first class.

billy
nonur Avatar
nonur 15 18 13 Turkey
17 Jul 2013 1:40PM
What an amazing write up, thank you for the time and trouble taken. Great compo, so beautiful against the blurred greenhouse, Kate.
boov Avatar
boov 11 2 United Kingdom
17 Jul 2013 2:10PM
Brilliant.....
Fefe Avatar
Fefe Plus
12 96 56 United Kingdom
17 Jul 2013 2:20PM
Lovely!
Diane
LynneJoyce Avatar
LynneJoyce Plus
15 22 101 United Kingdom
17 Jul 2013 3:15PM
I love the way that this curious cultivar stands in front of the Pro glasshouse - very apt.
marktc Avatar
marktc Plus
13 101 15 United Kingdom
17 Jul 2013 7:26PM
I really like this image Kate, very well captured,
annettep38 Avatar
annettep38 12 221 43 Luxembourg
19 Jul 2013 12:06AM
excellent contrast with the OOF glasshouse. what an interesting plant, very fascinating!
digital_boi Avatar
digital_boi 18 3 6 Scotland
19 Jul 2013 11:35AM
I thought for a moment you had been trespassing yet again but then realised this was your original transgression TongueWink fine colours against the backdrop of the Kibble Palace Kate

Graham
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