Leucophyllum

These are deceptively simple looking shrubs – until they bloom. Then they become an explosion of vivid pink to magenta or lavender violet flowers, appearing and re-appearing mostly from August through October, but the first flowers can begin as early as in June or July.

Leucophyllum is native to the Southwestern US and Mexico and also known as Desert Sage, Texas Sage or Rio Bravo Sage, although it is not at all related to the genus Salvia. Another name for them is “Barometerbrush” for their ability to forecast rain by blooming several days prior to a rainstorm, apparently in response to humidity.

In full sun and light, well-drained soil, they grow up to 100-150 x 100 cm. They require minimal water (Filippi give them a code de sécheresse of 6!), tolerate salt as well as heavy trimming, and bloom over their entire surface.

Their only weekness is their limited frosthardiness of about -10℃, in dry, well-drained soil.

The two varieties commonly found in French garden centers are Leucophyllum frutescens and Leucophyllum langmaniae. Frutescens blooms in bright pink to magenta and is a little less frost-hardy. Langmaniae is frost hardy down to -10℃ and blooms in a vivid lavender violet – especially generously after a summer with important droughts or heat waves.