Name that plant....please (flowers, growing, Butterfly Bush, butterfly)

[southdown]

I'm new to Texas...

What is the name of the flowering shrub with lilac flowers hanging in bunches, like wisteria but a shrub, just coming into flower now. I think it has big brown seed pods. Smells fabulous!!!!!

[Racelady88]

Is it a lilac?

[wit-nit]

It could be Texas Mountain Laurel. AKA Mescal Bush/Tree. They are very prevalent in your area.

[southdown]

Originally Posted by nitram

It could be Texas Mountain Laurel. AKA Mescal Bush/Tree. They are very prevalent in your area.

Thank you, I am pretty sure it is - I had googled 'wiseria-like flower shrub texas' and that came up!

Smells so beautiful..... I have to go shopping for one, but I hear they can take a while to start to bloom.

[AZgarden]

Might also be Hardenbergia. I have them climbing all over my backyard walls and the purple blooms look like lilac. Google it and you will see how beautiful they are. Very easy to grow also.

[swbtoo]

Be careful - all parts of the Texas Mountain Laurel (Mescal) are poisonous if ingested. I looked it up because it seemed like such a lovely thing, especially the fragrance. However, since we have pets and often grandkids visiting, I won't put that in where they might get to it. Here's one site with description, with photos, and people wanting to trade and or obtain this shrub (or tree) that is slow growing but will last for years; is drought tolerant and resistant to deer.

http://www,davesgarden.com (broken link)

Another site says that the seeds are poisonous, and the seed pods are very hard to break. If there is a concern, one can easily collect them and get rid of them.

It sure is beautiful!

[pwright1]

Butterfly Bush perhaps?

[swbtoo]

I love butterfly bushes...but I don't think one could be described as "tree", ever, no matter how tall or big it gets. Lovely shot, pwright1.

[southdown]

The butterfly bush is one of my favourites, I know it as buddleia (Sp?)

So easy to grow and such fab flowers.