Texas Sage

Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) is a tough, silver-leaved shrub from the deserts of the southern United States and northern Mexico, growing about 1m to 1.5m tall and wide. Soft grey leaves and lilac-purple flowers from spring to autumn make it a waterwise standout that thrives on neglect. Despite the name it is not a sage, but more closely related to native eremophilas.

Why you'll love it

• Silver foliage all year. Small, soft grey leaves brighten borders and tone down strong colours.
• A long flowering season. Individual flowers are short-lived, but the bush blooms for months and is full of nectar.
• Thrives on neglect. It wants no feeding and very little water, which makes it a plant for the low-input garden.
• Frost and drought tolerant. It copes with frost and drought once established. It may lose a few leaves in very cold weather, then recovers.
• A wildlife plant. Bees come to the nectar-rich flowers throughout the season.

Where it works best

Waterwise and gravel gardens. Plant it with native grasses, eremophilas and other dry-climate plants in full sun, with gravel mulch around it.

Coastal and desert-style gardens. It copes with heat and sandy coastal soils, and suits desert-style plantings with boulders and succulents.

Informal hedges. Plant 1m apart in a single row. At that spacing the shrubs merge in about two seasons into a soft grey hedge of about 1.5m.

Growing Texas Sage in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It prefers low humidity and a swing between day and night temperatures, so it thrives in arid, semi-arid, Mediterranean and drier warm temperate gardens. Humid coastal gardens are harder.

Soil. Light, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil, from sand to clay. If yours is heavy, add plenty of grit or sand.

Water and feed. Water carefully while it establishes: deep, less frequent watering encourages roots to go down in the first year. After that, grow it hard, with no feeding and no overwatering.

Pruning. Tip prune in autumn or winter to shape the plant and encourage bushy growth.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Texas Sage as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, and in 200mm pots in packs of 6 for faster cover. Tubes arrive small and settle in warm soil. The tube is supplied by our grower and sells out from time to time. A sold out tube simply means none are ready, and the notify button on the page will email you the day it is available again.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Drought tolerant plants for dry gardens
• Plants for arid and semi-arid climates
• Coastal and salt tolerant plants
• Guide to creating a waterwise garden

Common questions

Is Texas sage actually a sage?

No. It is more closely related to native eremophilas. The name comes from its soft grey foliage, which looks a little like culinary sage.

Will it grow in a humid climate?

It is much happier in low humidity. In humid areas it may lose leaves or suffer in wet summers, so choose a sunny, airy, free-draining spot or a pot.

How often should I water it?

Water deeply but infrequently during the first year. After that, established plants need very little, and overwatering does more harm than drought.