The tree out front…

Ever since the original owner Marilou Morales planted it in 1992, the pretty little evergreen tree with the white flowers has been a topic of conversation and curiosity among our customers.  The happy little tree (happiest, in fact, when the rest of us are miserably tolerating triple digit Texas summers) is a Mexican Olive Tree.

The Texas native is a common site in the southernmost tip of the Rio Grande Plains of south Texas, but rarely seen north of San Antonio, as it freezes to the roots in cold winters.  Our tree must be particularly hardy, because I have seen it completely frozen over in ice more than once.

Next time you’re by the shop, take a closer look and you’ll probably find an olive or two.   Just don’t try to eat one; this particular species is ornamental, and its fruit isn’t edible.