Texas Sage
This is a tender shrub widely grown in residential and commercial landscapes in the very hottest areas of the South Western States of America. Here it will grow to 6-8 feet in height in maturity with a similar width and can readily be pruned into a hedge.
While we may expect it to survive winter outside only in the mildest south west locations in the UK that is not to say that this plant should be ignored as we experience even hotter and drier summers. As easily propagated from cuttings as lavender, it may well be that this green leaved form of the Texas sage becomes as popular as argyranthemums, osteospermums, bananas and canna in annual municipal plantings or in seasonal shrub borders.
L. frutescens ‘Green Cloud’ remains an evergreen shrub in hot locations but will drop much of its foliage in winter in milder ones. However it grows exceptionally well in full on heat and can achieve full height in only 2 or 3 seasons.
Its main attraction is the profusion of bell shaped rose-purple flowers which appear sporadically from late spring to early autumn but particularly after hot, dry periods when it rains. In such situations the plant can be so covered in flower that the green leaves are difficult to see.
We are currently experimenting with this ‘climate change’ plant to see what it will tolerate in Cornwall but, for now, it looks to be a very promising annual which, for safety and certainty, needs propagating each year.
