Cimarron sage

Sun

Full sun; shade makes growth loose and reduces flowering.

Water

Low once established. Water deeply during establishment, then let the soil dry between waterings; avoid frequent lawn-style irrigation.

Soil

Very well-drained sandy, gravelly or rocky soil, including alkaline soil. Avoid waterlogged ground and heavily enriched planting beds.

Height

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m); unselected forms of the species can grow taller

Spread

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m)

Flowers

Lavender-purple, bell-shaped flowers in repeated flushes from summer into autumn, often following rain or humid weather.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, soft, finely hairy grey-green leaves on densely branched stems; some leaves may drop during cold weather or severe drought.

Growth

Moderate in warm conditions.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2 ft (0.61 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.4 ft (0.72 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.7 ft (0.83 m)

5. After 5 years

   3 ft (1.1 m)

   full size

About 5 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant in full sun with enough room for its natural rounded shape.
• Water deeply through the first growing season, allowing the soil to dry between soakings.
• Once established, water only during prolonged dry spells rather than on a frequent fixed schedule.
• Use gravel mulch, keeping it away from the base of the stems.
• Avoid routine feeding and rich compost; excessive fertility encourages weak, leafy growth.
• In cool, wet climates, use a raised bed or a container with sharp drainage and shelter from persistent winter rain.

Pruning. In spring, after the risk of hard frost has passed, remove dead or frost-damaged wood and lightly shorten wayward shoots. Avoid repeated shearing, which spoils the natural shape and removes flowering growth.

Spring

Plant after hard frosts have passed, choosing a sunny position with excellent drainage.

Spring

Remove winter-damaged stems once new growth shows which wood is alive.

Summer

Check newly planted shrubs regularly and water deeply when the root zone has dried.

Late summer

Enjoy rain-triggered flower flushes; avoid shearing off developing buds.

Autumn

Reduce supplemental watering as temperatures fall and clear wet debris from around the base.

Winter

Keep container plants out of prolonged rain and protect them from severe frost.

• Plant as a loose, low hedge beside a sunny path without clipping it into a rigid shape.
• Repeat rounded shrubs through a gravel garden with agaves and ornamental grasses.
• Use against pale walls or paving, where the grey-green foliage and purple flowers provide contrast.
• Grow in a large, freely draining container in a hot courtyard.

Garden styles it suits: Desert / xeriscape, Desert modern, Southwestern, Dry gravel garden, Low-maintenance and Pollinator garden.

Plant it with: Red yucca, Autumn sage, Blackfoot daisy, Desert marigold, Blue grama and Parry's agave.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and attract other flower-visiting insects. Dense branching offers cover for small garden wildlife.

• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage before planting, keep the crown above surrounding soil level and stop frequent irrigation.
• Sparse growth and few flowers in shade: move to a position receiving full sun.
• Frost-damaged shoots: wait until spring growth begins, then prune back to healthy wood.
• Dense outer growth and bare interiors after repeated shearing: stop clipping and selectively thin or shorten branches in spring.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Species-specific toxicity information is limited, and no particular toxic part is established; do not use the leaves as a substitute for culinary sage.

• Texas sage (Leucophyllum frutescens)

  Usually has broader, more obviously silvery leaves and a larger mature framework, although cultivars vary and labels may be needed for certainty.

• Chihuahuan sage (Leucophyllum laevigatum)

  Typically has a looser, more open habit and narrower, greener leaves rather than Cimarron's compact, densely leafy outline.

• Culinary sage (Salvia officinalis)

  Has larger, strongly aromatic, wrinkled leaves and upright spikes of flowers; Cimarron sage bears flowers singly in the leaf axils.

Leucophyllum comes from Greek words meaning 'white leaf', referring to the pale hairs on the foliage.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer and root them in a free-draining medium. Seed-grown plants may vary and will not reliably retain the compact character of the named selection.

Accepted botanical name

Leucophyllum langmaniae

Native range

Mexico Northeast.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.