Grapey gorgeous Texas mountain laurel
Who poured out a gallon of grape Kool-Aid around here? Central Texans recognize that sweet grape scent as the smell of springtime. It came a few weeks early this year, as the Texas mountain laurels (Sophora secundiflora) took advantage of a mild winter to explode into wisteria-like bloom in late February.
Plenty are still in bloom, like this beauty at Hill Country Water Gardens & Nursery, although those in full sun are past peak and fading fast. In my own shady garden, the blossoms, while fewer, are just beginning.
I can’t pass one of these native Texas trees in bloom without leaning in for a deep sniff. Ahh, the smell of spring!
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Digging Deeper
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I love these…..alas, mine doesn’t bloom and I haven’t bee able to find out why! Any ideas?
How old is it? Young plants may need a year or two to get going. Is it in shade? They prefer sun and will generally bloom in shade but not as much. Have you pruned it in fall or winter? If so you might have cut off the early flower buds. Other than that I just don’t know.
Your tree is beautiful! I was so looking forward to mine blooming and just as they were ready to start, we had a freeze a couple weeks ago. 🙁 So sad….but on the bright side, my redbuds are beautiful!
Oh that’s so disappointing. Hopefully you’ll have a good show next year. But enjoy those redbuds!
When we were kids we didn’t know that these trees were called Texas mountain laurel. We used to call them purple Kool-aid trees.
A perfectly descriptive name.
I adore these plants. It’s supposed to grow in my zone (Sunset zone 23-24) but I’ve never found it locally available.
I could send you some seeds when they’re ripe, Kris.
I love mine, even though it has never had the long dangly clusters of blossoms. Mine are almost pom-pom like. Must be a natural variant.
How curious!
I’m glad I’m not the only one with a shady yard, coaxing plants to bloom.
Another favorite fragrant shade taker is Sweet Olive ( Osmanthis Fragrans).