Shrub
Texas Sage (Cenizo)
Leucophyllum frutescens
Silver evergreen shrub that erupts in purple bloom after summer storms. The 'barometer bush.'
- Pollinator
- Native
- Evergreen
- Deer-resistant
Quick facts
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 8–11
- Water
- Very low once established
- Sun
- Full sun
- Size
- 5–8 ft tall × 4–6 ft wide
- Bloom & interest
- Lavender to magenta flowers in flushes after summer rains, over silver evergreen leaves
- Plant type
- Shrub
- Native range
- Native to the Chihuahuan Desert of west and south Texas and northern Mexico
Why we recommend it
A native evergreen for the hottest gardens: silver foliage year-round, rain-triggered purple bloom, and survival on rainfall once established.
Best regions: TexasSouthwestSouthern California
How to grow it
Watering to establish
Water every week or two the first summer; established shrubs need little or none, and overwatering causes rank growth and root rot.
Pruning
Avoid shearing into boxes; thin or selectively prune in late winter to keep a natural shape.
Soil
Fast-draining, alkaline, rocky or sandy soil. Poor drainage is fatal.
Pairs well with
Read more
Where to buy
Shop Texas Sage (Cenizo) from trusted growers. For the best selection of xeric plants, try a mail-order specialist or ask a local independent nursery.
- High Country Gardens (opens in a new tab)Xeric specialist
- Nature Hills Nursery (opens in a new tab)Wide selection
- American Meadows (opens in a new tab)Perennials & seeds
- Etsy (opens in a new tab)Small growers
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