When I found out that I was relocating to the Southwest desert, my first thought was-there goes my gardening. Happily, I can say this is from the truth as my horizons as a gardener have only expanded since I arrived ten months ago. The first plant I fell in love with was the Leucophyllum species, better known as Texas Ranger or Barometer Bush, which refers to the flowers it produces after a summer rain. Thanks to breeding and cultivar selections, there is a wide range of plants to choose from.
L. frutescens, a native of Texas and Mexico, is the original and largest of the species, a slow growing evergreen plant that can reach 8 feet high and 6 feet wide. It has soft, silver-gray leaves with long, one inch flowers that range from rose to deep purple. Other cultivars include 'Green Cloud' which has green foliage and larger flowers; "White Cloud' has leaves that are light silver and produces large white flowers; 'Compactum' is a smaller version of Texas Ranger and grows only to about 4 feet high and as wide; and 'Sierra Bouquet' is a lovely plant with silver leaves and very fragrant lavender flowers. I recently picked up a cultivar named 'Rio Bravo'. It's not listed in any of my resource books, but it appears to be a cross between L. frutescens and L. laevigatum. The green leaves are larger and denser than L laevigatum and it has the build of a L. frutescens. It just started blooming tiny, light colored lilac flowers.
L. laevigatum or Chihuahuan sage, grows more open and loose than most other Leucophyllums. An evergreen shrub that reaches 4 feet high and about 5 feet wide, the green leaves are closely attached to the spreading branches and during the blooming season has bluish lavender flowers.
L candidum is a low mounding shrub reaching a height and width of 3 feet. It is densely covered with 1/2 inch silvery leaves with deep violet bell shaped flowers, thus commonly known as 'Violet Silverleaf'. 'Silver Cloud' has light silver foliage while 'Thunder Cloud' is more compact and has intense, deep purple flowers.
Leucophyllums are a must have in every water efficient garden. Planted together in masses they are quite beautiful with their different textures and colors. Plant from containers at any time in well-draining, native soil in full sun. Irrigate until established, but do not overwater as it will die out. After it is established it will only need supplemental irrigation every few weeks in hot weather. It may drop some leaves during extreme drought, but when the rains begin it becomes full and lush and produces an abundance of flowers. Texas Rangers are very tolerant of dry, adverse, hot, windy conditions. They adapt by storing water in their leaves and the silver foliage reflects sunlight. It needs hot weather and humidity to trigger blooming, is hardy to about 15 degrees F., free of most pests and diseases, and requires little maintenance. Texas Rangers may be pruned, sheared, or left natural and can be used as hedges, windblocks, screens, and specimen plants. Pruning is best done in the spring before the flower buds develop or in the fall after blooming is finished. Propagation is done by cuttings or seeds.