What Tree Has Flowers That Smell Like Grapes?

• A blooming Texas mountain laurel tree has a noticable grape fragrance. Michael Melford/Photodisc/Getty Images

  When a homeowner wants to add fragrance to his landscape, he may first think of flowering shrubs or sweet-smelling flowers. However, flowering trees can offer an intoxicating aroma to your environment. When you grow a tree that smells like grapes during flowering, your guests will be pleasantly surprised when they discover the origins of the fragrance.

Texas Mountain Laurel

• The Texas mountain laurel tree (Sophora secundiflora) is a landscape tree that thrives in USDA Hardiness Map zones 7 through 10. Native to North America, this evergreen tree can reach a height of 15 to 25 feet, and up to 50 feet in its natural habitat. The Texas mountain laurel has lush, dark green foliage with 2- to 5-inch blue-purple flower clusters in the spring that smell like grapes or grape drinks. The Texas mountain laurel is a drought-tolerant, low-maintenance tree with multiple applications. Pruning is unnecessary; however, gardeners may prune the tree to keep it small and ideal for containers. When left to grow freely, the Texas mountain laurel provides an excellent screening and shade canopy for homeowners.

Oregon Grape

• Resembling holly in its foliage appearance, the Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium, Berberidaceae) is a small tree or tall shrub that reaches a height of 4 to 8 feet. Although the name includes the word "grape," the tree is actually a member of the barberry family; it can grow in USDA zones 5 to 9 with minimal care. The tree bears the state flower of Oregon -- fragrant clusters of yellow, grape-smelling flowers -- in the spring. The clusters later develop into edible berries that resemble a cluster of grapes.

Yellow Poinciana

• Growing to 50 feet tall with a 35- to 50-foot canopy spread, the Yellow Poinciana (Peltophorum pterocarpum) has yellow flowers with a grape-like aroma throughout the summer months. The foliage is dark green, delicate and feathery in appearance. A warm weather tree grown in USDA zones 10 to 11, the tree is drought-tolerant and low-maintenance. The yellow poinciana is an excellent shade tree for dry, arid landscapes.