There must be a very good reason why Sophora secundiflora a beautiful shrub is not to be found in UK. Link below says it is borderline hardy here. Probably winter wet rather than cold temps does for it.
Central Texas has very hot summers, but we also get very cold winters, multiple freezes every year and occasional snow and ice/sleet storms. Our winter temps hung at 12ºC last winter for 10 days straight and this photo was taken today, so they came through that with no problems. The one at my last house, nearly 12' tall now as I drive by it often, survived the worst ice storm in this city's history. Central Texas has frequent temps of 15ºC every winter and it does not phase these trees with no efforts to wrap or protect them. So I would say that site has their information off a bit. Now a young plant under 2-3' would need to be potted awhile and protected in winter, but not once you put it out in the ground at about 3' height, these things develop roots fast and will take a winter or summer beating in Central Texas (unless they are weak or diseased when purchased).
Sorry, I meant to type we had 10 days straight of -12ºC (below freezing) last year and have done so many times over the last 10 years. Never lost a Texas Mountain Laurel, ever. That's why I think they will do in the UK just fine despite what sites may say. My experience is they survive anything but perhaps some sort of disease maybe. They love "wet feet" or dry soil. Hurricanes dump days of heavy rain often in summers in Central TX, they just grow harder and faster with all the water. They survive sustained hard freezes. Mind you I did lose some other shrubs in our drought of 2011, with 110 days straight above 38ºC (many trees & shrubs in the city that year), but not my established Mt. Laurel. They are true survivors. They wouldn't be hardy in Alaska, but I don't think they would die in Britain's weather.
Paul, the seeds are quite large (about ½" bean shape), shiny and bright red. I love to collect them when the pods open and drop them on the ground to add to or make Christmas decorations with. They hold that bright red a very long time.
I've potted up 4 hard-as-a-rock red seeds of this tree this past week. I'd like to see if any of them germinate. I just stuck them in soil in 3" pots, with no nicking/scarifying of the seed. We're still having mild days with afternoon temps around 25-27ºC. If none sprout, next time I'll scratch the seeds and see if that facilitates sprouting. Earlier in the season I tried my usual of keeping the seeds on a plate between layers of a moistened paper towel, but that only swelled and rotted the seeds. Keeping my fingers crossed one of them germinates in soil for me.
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