cenizo
Leucophyllum frutescens
USDA zones8 to 10
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles dry to moderate soil
Size5 to 8 feet tall4 to 6 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Purple
- Foliage color
- Blue-gray, green, whitish gray, silvery
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens) is a shrub for hedges, borders, and xeriscape gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 8, or down to 10°F (-12°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry to average, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. It sits low on the menu for deer and rabbits. Silvery, soft leaves cover it all year, and purple flowers burst open for a few days at a time, often after rain. Give it good drainage, and skip the fertilizer.
Pairs well with Silver sage, Texas mountain laurel, and Capers.
Native range
Texas and Mexico.