Texas Sage
- Also Known As: Rain Sage, Barometer Bush, Purple Sage, Texas Ranger, Cenizo
- Botanical Name: Leucophyllum frutescens
- Plant Type: Shrub
- Light Requirement: Full Sun, Partial Shade
- Water Demand: Low
- Landscape Use: Hedge, Border - Mixed, Rock Gardens, Screen - Visual, Deer Resistant, Salt Tolerant
- Ornamental Color: Lavender, Blue, White, Purple, Pink
- Native or Adapted: Native
- Wildlife Value: Hummingbirds, Birds, Butterflies, Bees
- Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
- Deciduous or Evergreen: Evergreen
- Plant Form: Upright
- Region: North Central Texas
- Plant Spread: 4' - 6'
- Plant Height: 6' - 8'
Description
Silver, gray, and green foliage varieties. Very drought tolerant. Requires excellent drainage.
The Texas sage is a fairly slow-growing plant, and may take up to 2 years to become fully established and bloom reliably. Once established, the Texas Sage is extremely drought tolerant, requires very little supplemental water, and will bloom after a good rain storm. (Don't try to trick it into blooming by watering heavily--it won't work.) After a week or two, the blooms will fall off, but the silver gray-green leaves stay year round. This plant can eventually grow to around 6 feet tall. The older it gets, the more intensely it blooms. Bees really like this plant when it's in bloom.