Martin Byhower 6/21/26 Martin Byhower 6/21/26

Texas Mountain Laurel

Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) is one of the most treasured native small trees in Texas, prized for its glossy evergreen foliage and spectacular clusters of fragrant purple flowers. Blooming in early spring, the blossoms fill the air with a sweet grape-like fragrance and attract bees and other pollinators. Its dense, dark green canopy provides year-round beauty and makes an excellent focal point in the landscape.

Texas Mountain Laurel thrives in full sun to part shade and is highly adapted to the heat, drought, and alkaline soils of Central Texas. Slow growing but exceptionally long-lived, it requires little maintenance once established and is one of the finest native trees for residential landscapes.

Martin Byhower 6/20/26 Martin Byhower 6/20/26

Agarita

Agarita (Mahonia trifoliolata) is a tough, evergreen native shrub prized for its holly-like foliage, fragrant yellow flowers, and bright red berries. Blooming in late winter and early spring, it provides an important nectar source for early pollinators, while the tart berries are enjoyed by birds and other wildlife.

Agarita thrives in full sun to part shade and is exceptionally drought tolerant once established. Its dense, thorny branches make it an excellent choice for wildlife cover, natural hedges, security plantings, and low-maintenance landscapes adapted to Central Texas conditions.

Martin Byhower 6/18/26 Martin Byhower 6/18/26

Yaupon Holly

Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) is one of the most versatile and valuable native shrubs or small trees for Central Texas landscapes. Its dense evergreen foliage provides year-round beauty, nesting cover, and shelter for birds, while female plants produce bright red berries that are an important winter food source for many species. Yaupon Holly thrives in sun or shade, tolerates drought once established, and can be used as a screening plant, hedge, accent shrub, or small tree.