tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118703221138865382.post3729743159048592351..comments2023-10-03T08:24:27.722-05:00Comments on Cultivating Paradise: Texas Mountain Laurel (Mescal Bean)Mary Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03888999648897092221noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118703221138865382.post-45994047611682487882013-04-04T02:03:53.619-05:002013-04-04T02:03:53.619-05:00There are some of these trees in my community and ...There are some of these trees in my community and they smell like grape lollipops. I love walking by them!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118703221138865382.post-13473258865103963522012-03-12T09:29:12.616-05:002012-03-12T09:29:12.616-05:00I have a beautiful Texas Mountain Laurel in my bac...I have a beautiful Texas Mountain Laurel in my back yard in North Texas (DFW area). Every year it gets webworms. At first we were horrified and were even thinking about removing the tree. But one day, we saw a wasp fly into the worms "nest" and steal a worm. That wasp had a very tasty breakfast! After that, we realized that the worms were a food source for an important garden insect. People may not like wasps, but they do have a purpose.<br /><br />We realized that the worms didn't actually do that much damage. It may not look nice at the time that they're on there, but our tree is not seriously harmed by them, and I honestly feel like the tree grows better because of them. We have the best, most dense flowers every year, unless we have a late freeze which doesn't happen that often. Just in case anyone doesn't know, the blooms smell like Grape Jelly or Kool-Aide!!!<br /><br />You might try leaving the worms one year and see what happens. Also, this year our blooms were covered with little green bees which I found out are Orchid Bees. They're solitary bees which are not aggressive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118703221138865382.post-66830909554389030712011-05-01T13:18:28.036-05:002011-05-01T13:18:28.036-05:00I know that Texas Mountain laurel grows in Dallas ...I know that Texas Mountain laurel grows in Dallas Texas--zone 7. They best ones in Texas are in Alamo Heights neighborhood in San Antonio which is zone 8 I believe. Some are 20 feet high. They are also planted around the LBJ Presidential library on the UT campus in Austin.They were 6 feet high when they were planted. This plant is very hard to plant or move. I do not know how they did it. Diane in Richmond VADiane Floca Epsteinhttp://dianeepstein1945@gmail.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118703221138865382.post-44692258774022985422010-03-18T19:33:21.245-05:002010-03-18T19:33:21.245-05:00Does anyone know if there is any reason why this p...Does anyone know if there is any reason why this plant can't be container grown, therefore, can be brought inside for colder parts of the U.S.?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118703221138865382.post-50425892631554069242009-03-15T20:50:00.000-05:002009-03-15T20:50:00.000-05:00I'm glad I got to enjoy yours, even though you cou...I'm glad I got to enjoy yours, even though you couldn't send the fragrance. What a beauty! It's too bad they don't grow here.Corner Gardener Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10631500918579405664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118703221138865382.post-32877628633104763792009-03-15T11:09:00.000-05:002009-03-15T11:09:00.000-05:00So pretty! The blooms are so showy, and such a be...So pretty! The blooms are so showy, and such a beautiful color.garden girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13284047851881823280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118703221138865382.post-26815993263638931922009-03-15T10:16:00.000-05:002009-03-15T10:16:00.000-05:00That is a beautiful bush or tree. I am not familia...That is a beautiful bush or tree. I am not familiar with it.Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15126794179121146839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118703221138865382.post-33833919961931170832009-03-14T22:03:00.000-05:002009-03-14T22:03:00.000-05:00What a beautiful tree! I wonder if it would grow ...What a beautiful tree! I wonder if it would grow in my zone 7b garden in Virginia.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com