Although our
“Goodness in the Garden” blog primarily addresses growing conditions in
Southeast Wisconsin, outdoor plants aren’t yet blooming in SE Wisconsin! For a change, let’s feature a plant which thrives AND blooms during
March in the Southwestern part of our country (sadly, it only grows in USDA
Zone 9-11 but it surely is a delightful
plant to see and smell.)
This plant
is known by various names:
Texas mountain laurel or mescal bean
The genus of this woody evergreen was changed some time ago—currently it’s
known as Calia secundiflora (formerly
Sophora secundiflora). This heat-hardy plant is classified in the
Fabaceae family; it forms brownish gray pods, but its seeds are poisonous.
Texas mountain laurel captures attention when
it blooms in spring and emits an intoxicating aroma, which reminds me of grape
chewing gum; others claim it smells like grape soda!
Texas
mountain laurel is a total sun lover and adapts to modest amounts of moisture. Its blue violet blooms are a deep hue, fading
to light purple and white as they age.
The plant appears in botanical gardens in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico,
but also thrives on rocky ledges where only the most tenacious plants
survive. (I saw several specimens
growing in the wild, on steep, rocky slopes in New Mexico. It seemed happy there! Since this plant does NOT handle severe
pruning, it might be happier on the side of a mountain than in a formal garden.)
Much like
the lilac bushes we grow in Wisconsin, the flower buds begin to develop around
August, but those beautiful, aromatic purple blooms emerge in spring. Although I’ll have to be content with growing
lilacs in Southeast Wisconsin, I have never smelled a lilac that compared to the
unique, grape-gum aroma of the amazing Texas mountain laurel!
M. Lynn
Schmid, Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture
