Mountain Laurels

At the end of winter, the flowers of the Texas mountain laurel bloom all around campus, permeating Trinity with a distinct smell of grape soda. The purple flowers bloom for about two weeks every year in late February and early March, especially on upper campus. Gretchen Northrup, wife of Preston Northrup and half of the namesake of Northrup Hall, was responsible for the original planting of the mountain laurels; Trinity’s dedicated facilities staff keeps them healthy and maintained from the soccer field, up Cardiac Hill, past the library, and everywhere in between.

“They smell, as a friend of mine used to say, ‘like falling in love’...The fragrance and beauty will make you feel optimistic again.” - David Robertson, Trinitonian 1986