Texas Sage

Texas Sage – A Valuable Texas Native

Clocks display time of day, computers show time and date. Watches notify of those and steps taken. But a plant that forecasts the weather?  Yep! It’s called Texas Sage or the “Barometer Bush!”  Yet another is Texas Ranger.

Texas Sage is a shrubby plant native to limestone rocky, arid and “scorchy” areas including Texas. It earned its nickname because it often blooms prior to a rain. It will also respond to water by blooming. After a week or two blooms fall off and the process begins again.

Texas Sage have small bluish, grey or green slightly fuzzy leaves on a woody shrub. They are semi-evergreen; leaves may drop in very cold weather. Most varieties bloom spring through fall although some start later. Blooms, at branch ends, are usually shades of purple, magenta, or pink. There is at least one variety of white. Pollinators like hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies adore and depend on Texas Sage while deer and other pests tend to avoid. It is also somewhat salt tolerant.

No wonder why Texas Sage is the official Texas Native Shrub since 2005!

Great Varieties for Austin

Compact – Smaller version of Texas Sage; great option for foreground shrubs, low hedges, containers. Silver-gray foliage; lavender-magenta blossoms.  3-5ft H, 3-4ft W.

Desperado – Silvery-green foliage; lavender-pinkish blooms.  Stand-alone, backdrop, high hedge, or screen.   5-6ft H, 5-6ft W.

Green Cloud -Older selection, fast growing, green leaves; prolific rosy-magenta blooms. Can be pruned to ground to rejuvenate.   5-8ft H, 4-6ft W.

Heavenly Cloud – Cross of Green Cloud and Chihuahuan Rain Sage. Fast growing; medium silvery-green leaves; lavender-purple blooms. Stand alone, backdrop, high hedge, screen. 6-8ft H, 5-6ft W.

Lynn’s Legacy – Dense gray-green foliage; very prolific lavender blooms. Uniform shape. Reflected heat situations ok. Hedge, screen. Texas Superstar!  5-6ft H, 5-6ft W.

Microburst Dwarf – Civano. They call it a “dwarf powerhouse.” Compact with dense symmetrical shape. More likely to withstand damp heavy soil without with root rot, although it appreciates well drained soil. Silver leaves; prolific purple blooms. Foreground shrubs, containers, mass plantings.            2-3ft H, 2-3ft W.

Purple Rain – Civano. Cousin of Heavenly Cloud. Dense silver leaves; consistent purple flowers. Moderate growth rate; symmetrical shape. Tolerant of poor soils.Stand alone, backdrop, high hedge, screen.   5-6ft H, 5-6ft W.

Rio Bravo: Fast-growing, rounded habit, soft silvery foliage; bluish-lavender flowers; good for screening. Texas Superstar! 5–6ft H, 5–6ft W 

San Antonio Rose – From Civano. Tighter growth than Compact; unique very large rose-pink blossoms. Stand alone, back drop, hedge.   4-5ft H, 4-5ft W.

Silverado – Silver-gray foliage; lavender flowers. Medium growth rate; prefers poor, alkaline soils. Ok with urban pollution. Dense, round growth habit with low 1ft clearance from ground. 5ft H, 4-5ft W.

White Flowering – Varieties with white flowers and silvery foliage. Mature size between 3-6ft H, 3-6ft W.

Plant Features and Specs

Texas Sage Landscape Use: informal hedge or border, rock gardens, screening, coastal installations, screening, stand-alone visual

Sun Requirements: 6-8 hours of full sunlight daily

Water Requirements: Plants are very drought-tolerant once established, which can take up to 2 years. After establishment do not overwater

Soil Requirements: Must be well drained

Fertilizer: Plants are not heavy feeders

Pruning: Two types of pruning are suggested for most Texas Sage if any is done at all. One is to remove spent blossoms only. The other is to remove up to 1/3^rd of the plant in late winter to encourage new growth. Do not shape into unnatural forms as this leads to dead growth in the middle. Exception is Green Cloud which can be heavily pruned.

Uncommon Varieties

Blue Texas Ranger – Native to the Chihuahuan Desert also known as Cimarron Texas Sage. Silver-gray leaves and lavender-blue flowers. 3ft H x 3-5ft W.

Sierra Bouquet – Silver leaves. Deep purple bubble gum fragranced flowers. 6-8ft H x 6-8ft W.           

Silver Dream – Silver gray-green leaves and lavender-purple flowers. Fast grower. 6-7ft H x 4-6ft W.Summer Snow – Selection by Greg Starr, from a plant growing in Durango, Mexico. Light green leaves and white bloom. Natural loose open form. 4-6ft H x 4-6ft W. Z8