Plant Texas sage in fall or spring, with the root ball even with the soil. Skip extra compost in the hole, and water the first year so the roots take.
Plant in fall or spring, at pot depth, and skip extra compost
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Fall is the better window; spring works if you can water | Do not set a new shrub into the worst summer heat without water |
| Hole | Twice as wide as the root ball, and no deeper than the pot | Do not bury the stem deeper than it grew in the nursery pot |
| Backfill | Use the native soil. Skip extra compost and fertilizer in the hole | Do not make a rich, wet pocket that holds water around the roots |
| Spacing | About 5 to 6 feet between shrubs for a screen | Do not pack plants tighter than they can fill |
Plant Texas Sage in fall when you can, so the roots work through a cool season before summer heat. Spring is fine if you water through the first dry weeks. [1] Fall is the usual window for shrubs in this range. [2] If the native soil holds water after rain, raise the bed or plant on a berm rather than digging a sump. High rainfall is the reason for a raised spot, not extra compost. [3] Backfill with the soil you dug. The shrub wants ground that drains, not a fertilized pocket. [4]
- Pick a full-sun bed that drains. Keep it off irrigated lawn and off a low wet hole.
- Dig a hole about twice as wide as the root ball, and no deeper than the pot. Set the crown even with, or slightly above, the surrounding soil.
- Backfill with native soil. Do not add compost or fertilizer in the hole.
- Leave about 5 to 6 feet between shrubs for a screen, or more for a specimen. Water it in, then water deeply when the top few inches dry through the first year.
How do I plant Texas sage?
Plant in fall or spring. Set the root ball even with the soil, skip extra compost, and water through the first year.
How far apart do I plant Texas sage?
Leave about 5 to 6 feet between shrubs for a screen. Give a specimen the room to reach 4 to 6 feet wide.
If a new shrub sits wet and then collapses, the hole held water. Next time plant on draining ground at pot depth, and skip the compost pocket.
FAQ
Can I plant Texas sage in summer?
Only if you can water. Fall is easier on a new root ball. Spring works if you keep the first dry weeks from baking the roots.
Should I amend the planting hole?
No. Use the native soil. A compost pocket holds water and keeps roots from moving out into the bed.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center -
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=lefr3 - [2] Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Bexar County -
https://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/homehort/archives-of-weekly-articles-davids-plant-of-the-week/silverado-texas-sage/ - [3] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/leucophyllum-frutescens/ - [4] Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum -
https://www.desertmuseum.org/visit/sheets/Leufru.pdf
This note is part of Leucophyllum Guides.
More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors