Native Plants
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Friday - March 28, 2014
From: Benjamin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs, Wildflowers
Title: What is the name of the Texas Wildflower that smells like grape koolaid?
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
Can you tell me the name of the Texas wildflower that smells like grape koolaid? I live in north west Texas and every spring, the low growing purple flowers line spots along the roadside. It's a joy to roll down the windows and smell the sweet aroma!ANSWER:
When Mr. Smarty Plants hears of a plant that smells like grape Kool aid, his first thought is Texas Mountain Laurel Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain laurel) . The Mountain Laurel grows as a tree or shrub, so it doesn’t sound like the plant you are smelling. Also, the USDA Plants Profile indicates that it doesn’t occur in Knox County.
This link to Pinterist has a list of at least a dozen.grape scented plants (I didn't realize there were that many). Based on your description, eg low growing along the roadside, I think, from that group of plants, Slimpod milk-vetch might be a possible choice. Astragulus leptocarpus does not occur in Knox County, but there are other species of Astragalus that do occur in the area.
Astragulus racemosus
Astragalus lindheimeri
Astragalus nutallianus
For some help closer to home, you might contact your nearest chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) which is located in Graham, Tx. Someone in that group should be able to tell you the name of your fragrant plant.
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