Our Mountain Laurel is in bloom. The blossoms smell like grape juice, and obviously the bees love them. It really is a tree, not a shrub. We just haven't pruned out the sprouts (can't bring myself to cut away anything this lovely!).
Oh I want one!! The colour of the flowers is lovely and if the bees love it then it's a must have. I'll see if I can grow it here. I'm still waiting for my trees and shrubs to show signs of new life.
Beautiful colors and glad to see the bees there... I do want to place some info here to avoid confusion for newcomers.. Your plant is TEXAS MOUNTAIN LAUREL (SOPHORA SECUNDIFLORA) sometimes also called 'Mountain Laurel', Mescal bean, Mescal bean sophora, Frijolillo, Frijolito https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SOSE3 Warning: The brilliant red seeds contain the highly poisonous alkaloid cytisine (or sophorine) - this substance is related to nicotine and is widely cited as a narcotic and hallucinogen. Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) ...is different https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=kala Warning: POISONOUS PARTS: All parts. Highly Toxic, Maybe Be Fatal if Eaten! Symptoms include: salivation, watering of eyes and nose, slow pulse, nausea, vomiting, sweating, abdominal pain, headache, tingling of skin, lack of coordination, convulsions, paralysis. Toxic Principle: Andromedotoxin, a resinoid; arbutin, a glycoside.
Thanks for the information Odif. I think I'll pass on getting one of these (even if it can be grown here) as I don't want to risk our dog eating any parts of it. I'll have a look for something else to attract the bees that is safer.
DeepWoods, thank you for the clarification, which I should have posted. We are so used to referring to the laurel as "Mountain Laurel" that I forgot to prefix it with "Texas". It's a native of the hill country which has poor soil so when it hits our blackland prairie dirt it thinks it's gone to heaven!
It is stunning, absolutely stunning, it like Eileen I would have to avoid as my daft Labrador has a little chew on most things in my garden!
