Flower profile

Texas mountain laurel

Dermatophyllum secundiflorum

Texas mountain laurel (Dermatophyllum secundiflorum) is a flowering plant in the Fabaceae family, blooming mostly February–March across the U.S.

Native to Texas

Texas mountain laurel is a flowering plant. In Texas it's most often seen in bloom in February–March.

–states where USDA records it

14,615TX sightings*

14,987U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Texas

Quick look

Dermatophyllum secundiflorum is a species of flowering shrub or small tree in the family Fabaceae that is native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico. Its common names include Texas mountain laurel, Texas mescalbean, grape Koolaid tree, frijolito, and frijolillo.
From Wikipedia's article Dermatophyllum secundiflorum, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Fabaceae family. ^iNaturalist
NatureServe lists it as native to Texas. ^NatureServe
In Texas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–March. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 14,615 research-grade sightings of it in Texas, ranking #33 among the 169 flowers on our Texas list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Texas, most flowering sightings come in February–March.

Flowering records by month in Texas (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (454 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Texas: Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Texas. ^{31 TAC 69.8}
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peoplePoisonous to people

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: seeds. Symptoms they list: “The seeds of this plant, which are often used in making necklaces, are mildly poisonous if eaten. The poisonous elements of this plant resemble nicotine in its actions and toxicity. If seeds are ingested, it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, excitement…” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.