Fabulous Fabaceae

While high summer unfolds and you’re out witnessing the bounty of outrageous blooms and flamboyant displays of shape and form you might be feeling a little competitive. Perhaps you’re wanting that explosive splash of color and character only the fabaceae family can offer; something that thrives in sunny, dry conditions and naturally tends to your soil’s nitrogen levels. A spring shower and a summer grower. Something fabulous, but functional.

Here's a spotlight on some of our favorite fabaceae:

Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata) This gal has all the seasons, showing her spring color with precious little clusters of flowers, fruiting into pods then dropping everything after the rainy season. A Texas native, she provides a safe haven for bees, butterflies and birds and doesn’t sweat a drought; she’s too busy showing off her chlorophyll. One beloved species, the Desert Museum, strikes a gorgeous silhouette with delicate blooms alighting from bright green thornless bark. Unfortunately, after a few of Austin’s signature freezes she looks like a queen who stayed out too late and left it all on the floor. Best for the actual desert.

Eve’s necklace (Styphnolobium Affine) Eve blooms into clustered white curls tinged with pink that mature into black, bead-like strings of seeds. Don’t be tempted to eat of Eve: flowers? Poisonous. Seeds? Poisonous. She can’t perform her best if she has to share her soil with others but with enough space, moisture and drainage she’ll mature quickly and give you the scent and show she’s famous for.

Acacia A diverse group of plants that love an arid region, acacias are known for durability, sustainability, and for forging symbiotic relationships. Depending on the variety, she’s famous for spectacular flower shows, a sweet and powdery scent and tolerance for a variety of soil conditions. Acacia is known as the wattle tree in Africa, prized for its flexible branches used in wattle & daub construction. Pictured: Guajillo Acacia

Huisache (Vachellia farnesiana) Also known as Sweet Acacia, Huisache features isolated sprays of round, aromatic sunshine popping out of delicate sprigs of green. Often used in xeriscaping for its modest thirst and ornamental delights, it’s a real pest out on cattle ranges where seeds are spread profusely after over-grazing. It’s high in protein, fully edible and great forage for bees. In a pinch, rely on Huisache for tannins, ink and gum harvesting.

Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) The most well-known mimosa sports slender green leaves with coquette tufts of tiny pink fireworks. She’s messy, invasive, sun-loving, and will poison your dog if it eats her seed pods but when prepared correctly her bark and flowers can be used in a variety of medicinal applications. She closes her leaves at the end of the day to avoid losing precious moisture overnight.

Redbud (Cercis canadensis) In spring, these sun lovers put on a glorious pink show while the branches are still bare; after those beautiful blossoms wilt, heart-shaped leaves grow in that offer dappled shade. These gals are fast-growing, low maintenance, adaptable and friendly to pollinators and wildlife. Per usual, water deeply while she’s getting established and slow down when she’s mature.

Kidneywood (Eysenhardtia texana) The kidneywood is beloved by peckish deer, if that’s what you want in your yard, but it’s also a top choice for native plant restoration projects. The wood is useful in making dyes, and nectar from the kidneywood makes a distinct honey when bees get involved. She has delicate foliage, fragrant blooms and a long history of medicinal uses.

Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) Pulcherrima is Latin for “most beautiful” and we ‘re not ones to argue. Tough, showy and hot for humidity, she says YES to shoulder pads and blooms all summer long. Droughts won’t stop this diva, she keeps on going til the fall lays her down. Some worry that she's done when she seems reluctant to bloom on time, but trust - she’ll rise like a phoenix by late spring.

Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus) The beguiling puffs of the smoke tree come in a variety of colors and attitudes, creating a stark transition between the smooth leaves and the hazy clouds of tiny colorful filaments. Adaptable, low-maintenance and quietly stunning, she loves full sun and well-draining soil. Indulge her with mulch and deep drenching until she’s established.

Lindheimer’s senna (Senna lindheimeriana) With sensitive leaves that close when touched or looked at too hard (a dramatic coping mechanism to avoid moisture loss) this sweetie can be pruned to shape and sports velvety leaflets that give way to a stinky legume. Most grazers will avoid this odor which helps to protect baby butterflies who spend their larval period on her branches. A late bloomer who's at home in a dry and rocky locale, if you want to keep her from getting leggy wait til she asks for a drink.

Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis) This pride of Texas lights up roadsides from March to May, erupting with blue, pea-like flowers off a velvety green spike. She needs well-drained soil and 8 hours of direct sun, and while there’s no law forbidding picking bluebonnets, be cautious when pulling off the road to get your family portraits. Don’t trespass into unknown meadows and take care not to trample other species; annuals can only re-seed themselves if they can complete their life cycles, so be kind.

Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) This showstopper boasts cascading boughs of soft purple and white petals that could be mistaken for dangling bluebonnets drunk on Fabuloso. Vigorous growers, wisteria can choke out native plants with its sprawl and if left unpruned, leaf growth will prevent blooms. She tends to postpone her bloom until she’s matured, and can’t abide too much nitrogen – she prefers just potassium and phosphate, if you please, so be cautious not to over-fertilize.

Texas Mountain Laurel (Dermatophyllum secundiflorum) The allure of this beloved ornamental is the bold fragrance of grape soda that announces her entrance well before you see her. Occasionally mistaken for wisteria, the blossoms are coiffed into deep purple curls that fall and blanket the ground below to reveal fuzzy seed pods that keep the plant visually interesting between seasons. She needs good drainage and likes her bed dry and rocky.

What's your favorite fabaceae? Peanuts perhaps? They're self-pollinating.(!)

HAPPY PRIDE, AUSTIN!

Love and legumes,

Amber