As the common name might suggest, this plant is native to the arid trans-Pecos region of central and south Texas and into New Mexico and northern Mexico. It is commonly found in limestone soils of hillsides and gulches from near sea level to elevations of 5,000 feet. The Texas mountain laurel is a large evergreen shrub or small tree which may eventually grow to a height of 25 feet or more. More typically it is found as a plant of smaller stature with a low branching habit or multiple trunks. The crown of the tree tends to be rather small in diameter.
Growth is painfully slow until the plant becomes established, then becoming somewhat faster.
The compound leaves are about 5 inches in length and are comprised of 7 to 9 ovalish leaflets. Each leaflet is 1 to 2 inches in length, dark green and glossy. A cultivar known as 'Silver Peso' has silvery foliage. The most intriguing characteristic of the mountain laurel is the flowers. Each spring, starting in March depending on the weather, beautiful bouquets of violet flowers appear in large clusters that resemble those of the wisteria.