Plant · P-066

Texas Mountain Laurel

Dermatophyllum secundiflorum

Texas Mountain Laurel is a slow-growing, broadleaf evergreen shrub that holds its glossy leaves year-round and screens right down to the ground. From February through April it opens grape-scented, wisteria-like clusters of lavender-purple flowers that draw bees, butterflies and hummingbirds before almost anything else is blooming. Its seeds are brilliant scarlet and look like candy, but chewing or grinding them releases alkaloids toxic enough to drop grazing sheep and goats, so keep them away from children, pets and livestock. It thrives on hot, dry, rocky, alkaline ground where few other nitrogen fixers will grow.