Lineage: Legacy Wild-Harvested Texas Native | Soil: Organic Heritage Mineral Blend
Our Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) is an Artisan Grown testament to the slow, enduring beauty of the Edwards Plateau. This isn't the generic nursery stock forced into rapid growth with synthetic nitrogen; this is a legacy shrub, grown from seeds hand-harvested from the 50+ year-old wild elders thriving on our ranch. These "Mother Laurels" have endured every record-breaking freeze, ice storm, and drought of the last half-century, passing that rugged genetic programming on to every seed we sow. Famous for its intoxicating purple blooms that smell exactly like grape soda, this is the definitive evergreen focal point for the sophisticated Hill Country landscape.
We begin with the elders. We hand-select seeds only from the most vigorous, multi-trunked Mountain Laurels on our property—specimens that have stood their ground for over five decades. This ensures your laurel carries the exact site-adapted genetics required to handle the high-calcium limestone and erratic moisture cycles of the Dripping Springs and Austin corridor. We aren't just growing a plant; we are continuing an age old lineage of ranch-proven resilience.
Mountain Laurels are notoriously slow-growing and resent root disturbance. To protect their integrity, we scarify and sow our legacy seeds directly into 4" x 12" Deep Tree Pots. These specialized, ultra-deep columns allow the sensitive taproot to drive a full foot deep without ever hitting a plastic barrier. By starting them in our Organic Heritage Mineral Blend, we ensure the tree builds its dense, leathery structure from the minerals it will live in for the next century.
Because Mountain Laurels take their time, so do we. Once established, our pots are sunk directly into outdoor sand beds for a full 18 months. These beds have no barrier, allowing the pots to sit directly atop the raw, microbial-rich earth of our ranch.
By remaining sand-sunk for a year and a half, these laurels experience extended Texas hilltop training. They have proven their strength through the heat of two summers and the bite of a Hill Country winter before they ever reach your gate. When you buy a Mountain Laurel from us, you aren't buying a "sapling"—you are buying a ranch-tempered survivor.
An architectural evergreen that offers year-round structure and the most iconic fragrance in Texas.
Grape-Soda Blooms: In early spring, the tree erupts in heavy, cascading clusters of violet-purple flowers with a scent so sweet and nostalgic it defines the season.
Living Sculpture: With its slow growth habit and lustrous, dark green leaflets, it naturally forms a picturesque, multi-trunked large shrub or small tree that requires almost no pruning. It will reach 8-25 feet tall and live for up to 80+ years.
Deer-Proof & Drought-Defying: The leathery leaves and bright red seeds (mescal beans) are naturally avoided by deer, making it a "safe" investment for open-range ranch landscapes.
Evergreen Elegance: Unlike many native trees, the Mountain Laurel remains lush and deep green even in the dead of winter or the peak of August heat.
Field-grown, sun-hardened, and ranch-tempered for 18 months. Delivered in a 4" x 12" Ultra-Deep Tree Pot with a vertical 12”, robust taproot system designed to anchor deep into our rocky Hill Country soil.
Texas Mountain Laurel is the gold standard for Texas xeriscapes. It requires full sun to part shade and—crucially—impeccable drainage. It is at its absolute happiest in rocky, alkaline limestone soil. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, as these can actually inhibit blooming; these trees prefer the "lean" diet of the Texas hills.
For a "High-End Contemporary" focal point, plant a Mountain Laurel near an entryway or patio where the spring fragrance can be enjoyed. Complement it with our Spineless Prickly Pear. The contrast of the bold, architectural pads of the cacti create a stunning visual contrast against the finer leaved, upright structure of the Laurel.
Lineage: Legacy Wild-Harvested Texas Native | Soil: Organic Heritage Mineral Blend
Our Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) is an Artisan Grown testament to the slow, enduring beauty of the Edwards Plateau. This isn't the generic nursery stock forced into rapid growth with synthetic nitrogen; this is a legacy shrub, grown from seeds hand-harvested from the 50+ year-old wild elders thriving on our ranch. These "Mother Laurels" have endured every record-breaking freeze, ice storm, and drought of the last half-century, passing that rugged genetic programming on to every seed we sow. Famous for its intoxicating purple blooms that smell exactly like grape soda, this is the definitive evergreen focal point for the sophisticated Hill Country landscape.
We begin with the elders. We hand-select seeds only from the most vigorous, multi-trunked Mountain Laurels on our property—specimens that have stood their ground for over five decades. This ensures your laurel carries the exact site-adapted genetics required to handle the high-calcium limestone and erratic moisture cycles of the Dripping Springs and Austin corridor. We aren't just growing a plant; we are continuing an age old lineage of ranch-proven resilience.
Mountain Laurels are notoriously slow-growing and resent root disturbance. To protect their integrity, we scarify and sow our legacy seeds directly into 4" x 12" Deep Tree Pots. These specialized, ultra-deep columns allow the sensitive taproot to drive a full foot deep without ever hitting a plastic barrier. By starting them in our Organic Heritage Mineral Blend, we ensure the tree builds its dense, leathery structure from the minerals it will live in for the next century.
Because Mountain Laurels take their time, so do we. Once established, our pots are sunk directly into outdoor sand beds for a full 18 months. These beds have no barrier, allowing the pots to sit directly atop the raw, microbial-rich earth of our ranch.
By remaining sand-sunk for a year and a half, these laurels experience extended Texas hilltop training. They have proven their strength through the heat of two summers and the bite of a Hill Country winter before they ever reach your gate. When you buy a Mountain Laurel from us, you aren't buying a "sapling"—you are buying a ranch-tempered survivor.
An architectural evergreen that offers year-round structure and the most iconic fragrance in Texas.
Grape-Soda Blooms: In early spring, the tree erupts in heavy, cascading clusters of violet-purple flowers with a scent so sweet and nostalgic it defines the season.
Living Sculpture: With its slow growth habit and lustrous, dark green leaflets, it naturally forms a picturesque, multi-trunked large shrub or small tree that requires almost no pruning. It will reach 8-25 feet tall and live for up to 80+ years.
Deer-Proof & Drought-Defying: The leathery leaves and bright red seeds (mescal beans) are naturally avoided by deer, making it a "safe" investment for open-range ranch landscapes.
Evergreen Elegance: Unlike many native trees, the Mountain Laurel remains lush and deep green even in the dead of winter or the peak of August heat.
Field-grown, sun-hardened, and ranch-tempered for 18 months. Delivered in a 4" x 12" Ultra-Deep Tree Pot with a vertical 12”, robust taproot system designed to anchor deep into our rocky Hill Country soil.
Texas Mountain Laurel is the gold standard for Texas xeriscapes. It requires full sun to part shade and—crucially—impeccable drainage. It is at its absolute happiest in rocky, alkaline limestone soil. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, as these can actually inhibit blooming; these trees prefer the "lean" diet of the Texas hills.
For a "High-End Contemporary" focal point, plant a Mountain Laurel near an entryway or patio where the spring fragrance can be enjoyed. Complement it with our Spineless Prickly Pear. The contrast of the bold, architectural pads of the cacti create a stunning visual contrast against the finer leaved, upright structure of the Laurel.
Our plants are intentionally cultivated to be site-adapted and focus their energy on growing larger, faster, and healthier below ground so they can take-off above ground once planted. All plants are grown to prioritize dense, downward-oriented root systems that allow rapid establishment in non-irrigated, deer-pressured landscapes.
Water and cage until established. Even for deer resistant plants, expect browsing, especially during drought — survival comes from the roots.
