The Texas Sages (Leucophyllum frutescens) were in bloom last fall. We have a few in our home landscape and they are a native plant.

Although they’re called sages, they are not a true sage, which are plants in the genus Salvia. There is actually another plant commonly called Texas Sage which is a true salvia, Salvia texana. You can see why the common names are not really that useful in identifying a plant.

The Texas Sages I’m showing here are also known as Cenizos, which means ash in Spanish, perhaps in reference to the gray-green leaf color.

They are hardy, grow in almost any of our local soils and require little water or maintenance. They grow to about 2 to 5 feet tall and are easily shaped into hedges. I think they look great in their natural form and that requires little or no trimming. They do best in full sun. They flower intermittently from spring to fall and I’ve noticed it seems to be after a rainfall.

Here’s a close view of some of the flowers. These are pink, but can vary in color and you’ll see violet or purple ones.

Texas Sage Flowers

Here’s  a better view from the side and you can see the almost trumpet-shape of the flowers.

Texas Sage Flowers