White Cloud Texas Sage care guidelines

The White Cloud (Leucophyllum frutescens) Texas Sage is a unique-looking sage variety for drought-tolerant landscapes. While all of the purple-flowering Texas Sage varieties are beautiful and eye-catching, I love the unique White Cloud! Here are the White Cloud Texas Sage care guidelines.

But before that, here is a description of the White Cloud Texas Sage.

During the early monsoon season, the White Cloud Texas Sage covers itself with an abundant white cloud of small, beautifully white flowers. Here in the Southwest, the bush will continue to bloom periodically throughout the spring, summer and fall seasons. The White Cloud bush adds a beautiful contrast to its equally pretty purple and pink Texas Sage variations.

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Like all Texas Sages, the White Cloud is resistant to deer and rabbits. At least, that’s the theory—in my real life experience, however, rabbits could easily nibble on and destroy a young Texas Sage. So, use fencing to protect this Texas Sage while it’s getting established.

The White Cloud grows fast and might reach six-to-eight feet in height. The one that I have in the photos on this page was almost eight feet tall. Then, in early July (years ago), a monsoon storm with terrible wind gusts almost destroyed it.

I had to prune most of the broken branches of my White Cloud, and only a sparse skeleton remained of the once full, beautiful bush. But, thanks to its fast rate of growth, however, my White Cloud has filled in beautifully. I will continue to prune it by hand until it looks more presentable and natural.

By the way, this Texas Sage can get leggy very quickly, so it does look best when periodically pruned to a more compact, fuller size.

White this sage bush can take a little overwatering without a problem, it is prone to root-rot. Therefore, be sure to plant yours in soil that drains very well. Be sure that water does not pond around its base.

The White Cloud Texas Sage has a unique leaf color. It’s a lovely bluish-green hue with an overall silvery tint overlay. Depending on the light and angle of the sun, the White Cloud’s leaf colors can shift slightly. That change in color hue throughout the day adds so much interest.

I have my White Cloud planted very close to other drought-tolerant succulents and cacti, including a couple of agaves. In fact, I have a small variegated century plant growing nearby. To protect that agave from being inundated with too much water, I have it elevated it a few inches so that its base is never soaking in water.

Only a few feet away from the White Cloud, I also have a Peruvian apple cactus. That cactus has radial roots that extend out many feet near the soil’s surface and its roots are competing with the White Cloud for water.

In other words, any drought-tolerant plant would work well with the drought-tolerant White Cloud.

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Many communities in Arizona use Texas Sages in their common areas. Unfortunately, many of them shear these beautiful bushes into unnaturally manicured shapes. Personally, I prefer the hand-pruning method that allows the bush to maintain a natural look.

With my White Cloud and other Texas Sages, I completely prune the vegetation from the bottom 12 inches. That creates an impression that wild animals, like rabbits, have been nibbling away at the vegetation, just as they would do in nature.

Plant your White Cloud in a soil that drains well and in an area that receives lots of sun. If you have a clay soil, it might be wise to plant your White Cloud on a slight elevation, or even on a hill if you have one. That’s how the Texas Sage grows out in the wild country of Texas, including in the Big Bend National Park.

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The White Cloud is drought-tolerant. However, I have never killed a Texas Sage by over-watering. To prevent root rot, though, I do cut back on the water during the winter. Then, I only give it a deep root soaking every other week. That’s probably much more water than the White Cloud needs to survive. In between waterings, let the soil completely dry out.

During the hot Arizona summers, I usually give them a deep root soaking twice a week. That is also probably too much water, because the White Cloud could easily survive with a more moderate supply of water. In the past, I have killed a few cacti and agaves from too much water, but have never killed a Texas Sage by applying too much water.

The Texas Sage, and especially the White Cloud variety, seems to be one of the hardiest and most adaptable plants I have used in my xeriscapes.

How do some plants survive and even thrive during our intense Arizona summers? I do not know how, but my White Cloud Texas Sages seem to delight in the hellish heat, even while I wilt in the shade.

In addition, the White Cloud will take single digit winter temperatures. Sure, they might drop their small leaves, but as the weather warms, new buds will quickly appear.

This Texas Sage variety can get leggy, even when planted in full sun. Prune periodically to encourage fuller, less leggy growth.

The White Cloud will do well outside in the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones of 7 to 10. Those plant hardiness zones make up a pretty large area in the southern parts of the United States. Watch for freezes, and provide protection for temps under 5 degrees F.

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TAKEAWAYS:

The White Cloud Texas Sage is a hardy, drought-tolerant bush that loves full sun and intense heat. Prune it periodically so it does not get too leggy, and has a fuller appearance.

Water sparingly, but deeply. And, while I have never fertilized my White Cloud, you might give it a small amount of balanced fertilizer in the spring.

If you have other Texas Sage varieties that you love, please share your experiences below!

Content and photos by Doug Martin and The Zen Xeriscape