Texas Mountain Laurel
What’s green and purple and smells like grape soda?
The Texas Mountain Laurel, native to central Texas south central Mexico and west to New Mexico.
This large shrub has evergreen dark glossy compound (rose-like) leaves and may form a small, multi stemmed tree. Slow-growing and sometimes deliberately pruned to make a small single trunked tree.
The grape aroma comes from Feb through mid-April purple wisteria-like flowers. These very early spring flowers support our first pollinating bees, Red Admiral and Swallowtail butterflies, in addition to northward migrating Monarchs.
Cultural Notes
Zone: 8-11
Height: 8-15ft H, although if it’s really happy it can reach 30 ft
Width: 6-10 ft W
Full Sun
Low Water
Any well-drained soil
Highly drought tolerant once established
Rarely bothered by pests, except the Genista moth larvae which can wipe out the foliage of a full-grown tree in just a few days. It’s quite rare the tree would be killed though.
Use unsheared for informal hedging, or prune for an accent tree for small spaces. Combine with contrasting plants in front to really make this glossy dark green beauty pop!
Fun Facts
- Big Drunk Bean, Coral Bean, Frigolito, and Mescal Bean are other names
- It produces earthen colored bean pods
- The pods have an alkaloid known to be very poisonous if swallowed
The Native Americans used it ceremonially and decorated their clothing with the lacquer-like pods
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