Sophora secundiflora, perennial legume,
USDA Hardiness Zone 8
In the movie Camelot, Julie Andrews chalked it all up to the "lusty month of May" when she up and flung herself into the arms of Robert Goulet, while Richard Harris took it on his prodigious chin. When I was a kid, I identified with Arthur's bewildered dislocation and could never understand (and still don’t) what it was beautiful Julie saw in the insufferable Frenchman. Maybe it's that she looked into the future and had a peek at the ghastly string of 1990's movies Richard Harris made portraying the same creepy old longhaired villain.
Here in Austin, Texas, May comes in March and extends into April. In May, the heat index has gotten the better of all blossoms and by June everyone here hates their lives and continues to for at least three more months. But there is nothing so breathtaking in March as our purple Mountain Laurel, whose impossibly stunning flower knows nothing of summer. And on one exquisite afternoon walking past one of these with my children, I remarked - "it looks like candy lilac!" Count us in, Darin...
“Candy Lilac” performed by RH, WW, George and Darin
Recorded by RH at The Star Apple Kingdom and by Lars Goransson at Sounds Outrageous
Mixed by Lars and mastered by Bob Ohlsson