Grow Beautiful, Tough Texas Purple Sage

Leucophyllum frutescens

An official Texas state symbol, Texas purple sage is a native plant that withstands almost any condition, aside from too much water and temperatures below five degrees Fahrenheit. Also referred to as Texas purple cenizo, this stunningly beautiful plant is the host plant for both the theona checkerspot butterfly and the calleta silkmoth.

The qualities of this plant, which led to its selection as the Texas official State Native Shrub, will bring easy gardening to your landscape. This perennial, compact, loosely-branched shrub is partially evergreen and will survive cold temperatures of ten to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. When mature, Texas purple sage is five to eight feet tall. This vibrant plant, with silvery-to-gray leaves and small, showy purple flowers, blooms from summer to late fall. Depending upon weather conditions, the plant may bloom through December. Blooming is triggered by a rain event, an increase in humidity, or a change in barometric pressure. In fact, one of its many common names is “barometer bush”!

This tough plant is highly heat and drought tolerant, so the hot summers of our plant hardiness zone 9a location are the perfect conditions for growing it. When our area experiences a drought, Texas purple sage thrives, as it can go for long periods of time without water. Simply water it deeply and wait until it is completely dry before watering again. Resistance to plant diseases and pests makes Texas purple sage even tougher.

Growing Texas purple sage is easy if you remember not to fertilize, and to avoid overwatering, insufficient drainage, and too little sun. This plant can be affected by a fungal disease called root rot when overwatered or planted in poorly drained soil. In high rainfall areas such as The Woodlands, growing this plant in a raised bed can assist in avoiding these challenges. The raised bed will keep the plant’s roots out of standing water and will drain well. Be certain that the raised bed is in full sun to assist the plant with full blooms and beautiful foliage. Plants do need space between them to provide air flow, and Texas purple sage also does well in large containers, if desired. In late winter, prune it lightly to keep its shape and encourage more blooms.

This stunning plant is the host plant for the theona checkerspot butterfly and for the calleta silkmoth. The theona checkerspot butterfly is found from Colombia, North-to-East Central Texas and parts of Arizona and New Mexico.

The calleta silkmoth is found in Mexico, Guatemala, and in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. This beautiful moth is very large with a wingspan that may reach five inches.

Planting Texas purple sage in your landscape will provide the opportunity for attracting these beautiful insects to enjoy. You will also have one of the official symbols of Texas growing in your yard! Happy planting!