I am so excited and happy. I think I have germinated what I believe to be a Tx. Mt. Laurel . Although I am not sure which variety it would be I am leaning toward the Hill Country variety based on the local that it came from.. The mature tree was about 8-10 ft. tall. Extremely dark blue clusters of flowers with an overwhelmingly heavy sweet smell. Red berry like seeds a little darker and harder than dogwood berries, which I have read are toxic. So does this sound like Tx. Mt. Laurel? Is the plant that I have?? Read these posts about three months ago followed the directions you all gave for lightly sanding the edge of my seed. Put it in lightly moist soil with with a good mix of Black Kow compost.Placed it in semi-shade until it started to harden off. Now I have a healthy new plant about 4 inches tall. Tghe new leaves look almost like young mistletoe leaves. Amazingly enough my seeds were gathered between 2005-2006 when I was visiting my son in Belton,Tx. near Salado. I have had them in a dish inside the China Cabinet as souviners since them, but decided to give them a try after reading the experiences here on the Gardenweb. I am now deciding where to put it before winter comes. After reading all the postings on temperature tolerances, I am thinking I need a pot that can be rolled in and outseasonally perhaps. I am in the Carolina Coastal Plain in Zone 8, but not too far from Zone 7. We routinely get temps in the thirties through the winter with it dipping on occassion into the twenties and teens for brief periods.Has anyone else had success wintering them over outside here? I haven't noticed anyone specifically mentioning the strong sweet smell of the blossoms.. We found them way too sweet for indoor cut flowers. I was worried about that as a house plant, but it appears as slow as it grows and matures, will be a while before I have to consider that problem. Any other pointers and tips before deciding to commit myself to outside or inside in this Zone???

one would think,.. as the name suggests.. that a native plant the lives on the mountain side.. wouldnt need such TLC that it would need to deadheaded ... its simple.. CUT OFF THE SEED PODS... thats the whole point of dead heading... if there are no seed pods.. indicating the plant is sterile.. or failed to go to seed.. then there is no real need nor reason .. to remove the seed pods.. because there are no seed pods.. and that the whole point of deadheading.. i was once told.. that as soon as you see the bud.. the energy was spent.. so removing any of it.. isnt going to resave the energy spent... nor benefit the plant in any way... so why bother.... i do not have a picture or video to support this logic... ken

The Lowes in Dallas (8a) has carried them in season before. We got a ~4 ft one on clearance a few (3?) years ago. Regular price was probably in the range of $80 to $100 at that time. Though don't see them sold regularly this far north.

Looks like scale.