by Lydia Holley September 11, 2023
After receiving an overnight rain, my Texas sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) bloomed the next morning. Not just a few flowers scattered on several stems. It was covered in purple bee-attracting blooms.
How did it bloom so quickly after the rain fell? I tried to research the question, but it seems to be a mystery how and why this plant can sense both humidity and barometric pressure. It seems to be just as predictable as weather experts since it often blooms before it rains. I can only guess that my Texas sage had buds ready to burst open, and when the conditions were right, the internal mechanism keeping them closed sprang open.
In general, Texas sage grows around 10 ft tall, has grayish leaves and purple flowers. However, there are several cultivars for those who want to add this plant to their garden but do not want purple blooms or such a tall plant. Some cultivars bloom white, such as ‘White Cloud’ or stay as low as five feet tall, such as ‘Compacta.’ If you are coordinating bloom color, you can even find cultivars with flowers that lean pink or dark purple.
Of course, when the summer is dry, your Texas sage may not bloom for a long stretch, so you may prefer a variety which has leaves in a color other than green. Since these plants are evergreen, foliage color is especially important. ’Silver Cloud’ has purple blooms, but its leaves are silvery-white.
Texas sage is deer resistant. It also requires good drainage and needs no fertilization. Native to Central and West Texas into Mexico, it prefers a neutral to alkaline soil. It may suffer in soil that has a pH lower than 6.5, so a soil test, available at the County Extension Agency (phone number below), can tell you if your soil’s pH leans too acidic for this plant to thrive in your landscape.
For more information, call 903-675-6130, email [email protected].
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