texas mountain laurel
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When The Garden Is Ignored For A Week During Summer
I’ve recently returned from a vacation, and so the garden was ignored for nine days with no rain and with daytime temperatures hovering around 100 degrees F. Many of the plants thrived and grew while I was away. Native plants have evolved to endure the hot and dry conditions of a Central Texas summer. Here… Continue reading
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A Lazy Way To Propagate Texas Mountain Laurels
A couple of years ago I discovered a reliable way to germinate Texas Mountain Laurel seeds using a process that involved removing the tips of the seeds with pet claw clippers. I describe the procedure more in this post. While reliable, that way of germinating Texas Mountain Laurel seeds is rather labor-intensive, so when I… Continue reading
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Taking A Load Off
2025 was the third year here for my Texas Mountain Laurel (Dermatophyllum secundiflorum) tree, which had a major growth spurt during that time — increasing in height from 5 feet to 7.5 feet. Consequently, many of its branches are still rather green and pliable. This spring was also the first time that this tree bloomed,… Continue reading
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Texas Mountain Laurel Seed Pods
Texas Mountain Laurel (Dermatophyllum secundiflorum) was the first tree that I planted here, in spring 2023. This year it was finally established enough to bloom. This first bloom cycle gives me a chance to observe that process. At the end of February the tree was covered with fragrant colorful flowers. Those blooms were popular with… Continue reading
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Mexican Buckeye Survived The Winter, And Acquired A Companion
The first Mexican Buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa) seedling that I planted in front of the house in 2024 did not survive. I was gifted a replacement that was planted in 2025. This little tree started last winter just 7 inches tall. I protected it from the freezes with mulch against the trunk, preventive watering, and a… Continue reading
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Texas Mountain Laurel In Its “Leap” Year
An adage often heard about native perennial plants is that in their first three years they will “sleep, creep, and leap.” In other words, the first year is spent building a strong root system without much happening visibly above ground. The second year sees more foliage growth, and in year three the plant is finally… Continue reading
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Eagerly Waiting For The Texas Mountain Laurel To Bloom
My Texas Mountain Laurel (Dermatophyllum secundiflorum) was planted almost three years ago. It looks as if this spring it will bloom for the first time, judging by the many buds that are swelling and showing hints of purple. This tree is near the rain gauge that I read at 7am each morning, so of course… Continue reading
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How Did The Garden Handle A (Wet) Freeze?
Since the garden here is primarily made up of native plants, I generally don’t need to worry about winter freezes — the plants have evolved to handle those situations. However, there are a few protective things that I do before, during, and after freezes to take extra care. Here’s a summary. Until January 2026, the… Continue reading
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Tree Growth Report, January 2026
Each January I take note of how my trees and shrubs are doing. Like children, when you see them every day, sometimes you don’t appreciate how much they’re growing. This post addresses trees. There will a separate one to describe the shrubs that I have (here). The measurements and photos were recorded on January 11,… Continue reading
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Pruning: Texas Mountain Laurel
The Texas Mountain Laurel (Dermatophyllum secundiflorum) was the very first tree that I planted here, in spring 2023. During its first year, half of the tree appeared sickly and pale. I never did find out exactly what the problem was — perhaps the most likely explanation was iron deficiency caused by some root issue on… Continue reading
About Me
Nature Lover.
Inquisitive Observer.
Student Gardener.
I invite you to join me on my journey to convert my sterile (from a nature point of view) new house lot to a healthy and diverse ecosystem, as I make discoveries, mistakes, and hopefully progress. I am not an expert or professional. The project started in February 2023 and the location is Seguin, Texas, USA.
Rewilding My Lot 