Green Texas Sage, Compact (Leucophyllum frutescens 'Compacta')

Botanical name: Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Compacta’

A compact, mounded shrub with bright silvery foliage; showy hot pink flowers in summer; a great water conservation plant, good for dry, hot, rocky sites; must have well drained, alkaline soil; prune lightly to maintain fullness; must have full sun.

Other names: Compactum Texas Ranger, Silverleaf, Cenizo

Plant Characteristics

Hardiness zone: 7b
Flower color: hot pink
Foliage type: Evergreen
Plant form: Upright, spreading
Mature height: 5 ft
Spread: 5 ft
Light requirements: Full sun
Moisture requirements: Dry to average

Ornamental Features

Compact Texas Sage features showy clusters of hot pink flowers at the ends of the branches in mid summer. It has attractive grayish green-variegated silver foliage. The fuzzy oval leaves are highly ornamental and remain silver throughout the winter. The fruit is not ornamentally significant. The smooth gray bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Compact Texas Sage is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Compact Texas Sage is recommended for the following landscape applications;

Mass Planting, Hedges/Screening, General Garden Use, Container Planting

Planting and Growing

Compact Texas Sage will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for poor, alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selection of a native North American species.

Compact Texas Sage makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.