Texas sage
Leucophyllum frutescens (Berland.) I.M.Johnst.
Also called Texas ranger, cenizo.
Silver-leaved desert shrub that flushes with lavender-pink flowers after summer rains. A low-water staple of southwestern landscapes.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 1.5–2.4 m (5–8 ft) tall and 1.5–2.4 m (5–8 ft) wide; medium growth, about 6 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.25) from the #3 install size.
Bloom
Lavender-pink flowers, Jun–Sep (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas sage : Jun–Sep |
Design notes
- Shearing into balls removes the flowers — prune selectively in spring.
- Overwatering and poor drainage cause leggy, short-lived plants.
Regions
Native range: Chihuahuan Desert of Texas and northern Mexico.
Not recorded as native to any of the three pilot regions.
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Texas sage
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.