This month marks my one year anniversary writing for the MG Newsletter as the Transplanted Gardener. So I feel it's appropriate to end the series with the first topic I wrote about, which is near and dear to my heart, the species Leucophyllum (Leuco = white; phyllum = leafed), also known as cenzio, Texas ranger, Texas sage, and barometer bush (See "A Transplanted Gardener" August 1995).

Texas rangers come in all sizes, colors, and are wonderful for xeriscape gardens. They are virtually free of diseases (except for Texas root rot) and pests (this year due to the drought the rabbits decided they were good eatin' and pruned my rangers - thank goodness they didn't shear them into "Texas ranger balls!"), most are hardy to 5 degrees F, and best of all require little or no maintenance once established. You may choose to prune, shear, or leave them au natural and they make great hedges, wind blocks, screens, and specimen plants.

My collection is planted in a circular "Texas ranger room" adjoining the hummingbird garden with a dining area in the center. When the summer rains come, the hot weather, moisture, and humidity triggers blooming (hence the common name barometer bush) and the Texas Ranger room becomes a mass riot of color which is just spectacular. The flowers resemble snapdragon blooms and rangers are evergreen (they will drop their leaves in extreme drought) so they provide interesting contrasts of foliage color when not in bloom. Rangers are very tolerant of adverse conditions once established and adapt to these conditions by storing water in their leaves during the rains and during dry periods the leaves will become small and reflect the sunlight.

I do not fertilize my rangers, mulch them well (3-4 inch layer of mesquite chippings), have found that they do not like to be planted in wells (they are usually found growing on arid limestone hillsides so I have planted them in gentle slopes), prefer well drained soils and full sun, and can be bought in 1 and 5 gallon containers. I've had best success with the 5 gallons. Now with all this said, you could be having great success with your 1 gallons planted in wells in the shade - that's the law of gardening! Plants don't read books and sometimes I think we shouldn't either!

Here is the gallery of Leucophyllums.

L. frutescens - 6' height x 8' spread. One of the largest rangers, the foliage is silver-gray, flowers are 1 inch and range in color from white, pinkish lavender, to purple. Cultivars include 'Green Cloud' with rosy colored flowers and 'White Cloud' with white flowers. 'Compactum' is a dwarf cultivar that matures to 4' high and wide. One of my gardening books also says there's a cultivar named 'Convent' with a loose growing habit, silver leaves and incandescent magenta blooms.

L. candidum - 2-3' height x 3' spread. Silver leaves, flowers are 1/2 inch long and violet Includes cultivars 'Silver Cloud' with white-silver foliage and deep purple flowers and 'Thunder Cloud' has even deeper, more intense purple flowers and a more compact form.

L. laevigatum - 4' height x 5' spread. 'Chihuahuan-sage' is a loose growing ranger with small green leaves and 1/2 inch fragrant bluish-lavender flowers. This ranger is not dependent on humidity and heat to induce bloom.

L. zygophyllum - 3' x 3'. Common names include 'Blue Rain sage' and 'Blue Ranger.' Leaves are thick, silver-gray and has bell-shaped purple to light violet flowers. The flowers have a light, lavender fragrance. Mountain States nursery lists a cultivar 'Cimarron' with light gray cupped leaves with blue flowers.

L. langmaniae - 5' x 5'. (I previously listed this one under L frutescens.) 'Rio Bravo' is its name and it has a dense, rounded growth, bright green foliage with lavender flowers. One gardening book gives it a common name of 'Monterey sage.' When in doubt know the Latin name!

L. pruinosum - 6' x 6'. (I previously listed this one under L. frutescens.) 'Sierra Bouquet' and what a bouquet it has. Absolutely wonderful fragrance-be sure to plant it where you can smell it. Silver leaves with masses of deep purple flowers.

L. revoltum - 4' x 4'. 'Sierra Magic Mix.' Several clones are represented in this ranger so there is some variation in leaf and flower colors, resulting in a 'mixed bouquet' effect. Once during a blooming period I had 5 different shades of purple on this plant, just magnificent.

L. minus - 3' x 3'. 'Big Bend Silver leaf is a small, dense shrub with 3/4 inch violet flowers and silver leaves. 'Rain Cloud' is a hybrid with a loose, upright growth habit small silver foliage, and tiny pink flowers.

L. frutescens x laevigatum - Big Green Hybrid Ranger 'Verde Grande.' This is what the label said when I picked up this one from Desert Survivors. It appears it will be a large ranger and it hasn't bloomed yet so that means I'll have to do another annual report next year!

Next time you're at your favorite nursery head for the native section and check out a ranger-or two. Happy gardening and sweet dreams of rain.