Shrub
Texas Sage (Texas Ranger)
Leucophyllum frutescens · Scrophulariaceae
Also called: Texas Ranger, Cenizo, Barometer Bush, Silverleaf, Purple Sage
Texas Sage (Texas Ranger) (Leucophyllum frutescens) is a very low-water shrub well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun.
Texas Sage (Texas Ranger) at a glance
- Water use
- Very Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (essential for dense growth and heavy bloom); tolerates reflected heat.
- Mature size
- 5-8 ft H x 5-8 ft W (rounded evergreen shrub).
- Growth rate
- Moderate.
- Bloom
- Violet-purple to lavender-pink (magenta) bell-shaped flowers; silvery-gray foliage., Summer into fall, blooming in flushes typically triggered by humidity/monsoon rains (hence 'barometer bush').
- Cold hardiness
- Cold hardy to about 5-10 F; USDA zones 8-11. Fully hardy in Tucson.
- Soil
- Requires well-drained soil; thrives in poor, rocky, calcareous/alkaline native desert soils. Intolerant of wet, poorly drained, or overly rich soils (causes root rot).
- Native range
- Native to the Chihuahuan Desert of Texas and northern Mexico (not native to the Sonoran Desert / Arizona, though very widely planted and well adapted in Tucson).
- Best used as
- Informal hedge or screen, Foundation/mass planting, Xeriscape and median planting, Pollinator garden, Low-water accent shrub
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds; provides cover for birds. Larval host for the Calleta silkmoth and Theona checkerspot in its range.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic; no significant toxicity to people or pets.
How to grow Texas Sage (Texas Ranger) in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Highly drought tolerant once established; water deeply but infrequently. Overwatering is the most common cause of decline (root rot, legginess). Little to no supplemental water needed once established in Tucson.
Fertilizer & nutrients
No fertilizer needed; performs best in lean soil. Fertilizing promotes weak, leggy growth and reduces bloom.
Pruning & care
Avoid shearing into formal balls (causes woody interiors and dead patches). Prune selectively in late winter/early spring; rejuvenate leggy plants by thinning. Light hand-pruning preserves natural form and flowering.
Notes
Note: family is now placed in Scrophulariaceae (formerly Scrophulariaceae/sometimes listed under Myoporaceae historically). Classic 'Texas sage' is the species; despite the common name it is not a true sage (Salvia). Extremely tough and water-thrifty, but NOT a Sonoran Desert native. The straight species has gray-green foliage and purple flowers; many named cultivars exist.
Sources: AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension