How to Plant Sage Shrubs in Texas
Sage shrubs are a real landscape star in Texas. This easy-to-plant evergreen requires little care and will brighten your yard with its soft, fuzzy foliage and vibrant blooms.The Latin name is Leucophyllum frutescens but this shrub is most commonly called cenzio or purple sage. Nicknamed the barometer bush, the sage shrub often blooms just before a rain. Its gray-green leaves and purple flowers attract butterflies and repel deer. Pest-proof, drought resistant and heat loving, this low-maintenance perennial survives in poor soil and requires little water. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Pick a location that receives full sun. Texas sage needs at least eight hours of sun a day.
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Clear the planting location of grass and weeds using a garden hoe.
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Dig a planting hole using the shovel, placing the soil from the hole to one side. The hole should be about 1 foot deep by 1 foot wide for 1-gallon plant containers and about 14 inches wide by 14 inches deep for 5-gallon containers. If you are planting more than one sage shrub allow 36 to 48 inches between plants.
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Amend the soil you have removed from the planting hole. Sage shrubs must have well-drained soil. Sandy soils should be amended with about 1/2 cubic foot of perlite. Add about 1/2 cubic foot of wood chips to clay-like soils.
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Remove the shrub from the container. Hit the rim of the container with a hammer, then gently but firmly pull the shrub from the pot.
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Place the shrub in the hole.The top of the root of the plant should be about 1 inch above the top of the hole. If the plant sits too low in the hole, remove it, add some soil to the bottom and replace the plant. If the sage shrub sits too high in the hole, remove it and dig out more dirt. Then replace the plant.
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Use your shovel to fill the hole with the amended soil. Pack the soil down around the sage shrub.
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Water using 1 gallon of water for a 1-gallon container plant and 5 gallons of water for a 5-gallon container plant.
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Spread a layer of organic mulch around the base of the sage shrub to help control weeds.
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Tips & Warnings
Sage shrubs like dry conditions. Water regularly during the first year but once the plant is established, water sparingly. To avoid root rot, let the ground dry out between watering.
Pick a variety that will fit in well with your landscape. Some sage shrubs have purple flowers while others grow pink or white blossoms. Texas A&M University suggests varieties such as Texas Ranger, Purple Sage, White Cloud and Green Cloud. Other varieties to look for include Sierra Bouquet, Rain Cloud or Alba.
Sage shrubs are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10.
While Texas sage shrubs are an evergreen perennial, they will have fewer leaves in the winter months.
Sage shrubs do not tolerate heavy humidity or wet conditions. As a result, sage shrubs usually do not thrive in southeastern Texas.
