When asked about plant choices for a new garden, I used to steer Austin gardeners towards some of the tough beauties found in the xeriscape section of the nursery.
One of the all-time greats is Texas sage.
I came across this comment on the Floridata website: "Sage can face droughts, freezes, high wind, salt spray, hungry deer and blazing heat, and keep right on performing beautifully." This gives you some idea of the resilient nature of this plant.
They are native to the Trans Pecos region of southwest Texas, from Uvalde to El Paso and on both sides of the Rio Grande, and they blossom with beautiful bell-shaped flowers after a rain shower.
In its desert habitat this evergreen shrub can reach 3 to 5 feet, and can get even larger in a landscape setting with more water. Make sure your sage gets at least 6 hours of sunlight. Anything less and it will start to look straggly.
Texas sage has silvery leaves that are pubescent (soft and furry to touch). Flower colors range from blue to purple to pink to white. Right now you can see these beautiful blossoms all around the city.
When you plant sage, be sure to do some deep watering to help it get established and then back off on the watering. Texas sage requires good drainage. If your soil is heavy in clay, plant it in a raised bed or mound.
They do not respond well to fertilizers and composts, and will bloom much better if left alone.
With the advent of plant breeding there is a new group of Texas sages that exhibit different leaf and flower colors, as well as shapes. Here are some of the more popular ones to look for... the seven sages.
1. Silverado: a new dwarf silver leaf sage that can grow to 3 to 4 feet high with dense foliage.
2. Lynn’s Legacy or Lynn’s Ever blooming: discovered by famous Texas botanist Lynn Lowery; it exhibits lavender flowers on rich green foliage. (see photo above)
3. Silver cloud: grows 4 to 5 feet tall and has a dense form. Its silver foliage has a beautifully contrasting deep purple flower.
4. Thunder cloud: this cenizo has a tight, compact growth habit reaching 3 feet. Its’ silvery-white foliage provides a great backdrop to its deep violet flowers.
5. Rio Bravo: 3 to 4 feet tall with a 5 foot spread. Its’ flower color is blue contrasted with teal, green foliage. This makes for a showy plant.
6. Green cloud: this sage has a green leaf with a violet to purple flower. A vigorous grower that can reach 6 feet in height.
7. White cloud: this white flowering sage is also known as “Alba” and will grow to 6 feet.
On top of all this, wondrous sage can be made into a pleasant tea that’s good for our health. Cenizo leaves, when dried and brewed in a pot for tea, are said to have mildly sedative properties, and can be used to treat headaches, fevers, colds, and flu. Happy Gardening Everyone! ❦
