Plant Spotlight: Texas Ranger

Texas Rangers are a welcome respite during the dog days of summer. Referred to as barometer plants, Rangers blooms occur with high humidity and rain. When this happens, the plants are covered with purple or magenta flowers.

A native of the Chihuahuan Desert and other locales in Texas, Leucophyllum frutescens is a powerhouse of a shrub for Morongo Basin gardens. When young, hungry rabbits can find this sage appealing, so cage it in hardware cloth for protection. Once mature, it is ignored by foragers. Here is a handy guide (pdf) to the different varieties, which you can buy at big box stores and local nurseries.

The different varieties provide different height options for your landscape, from 5 feet to 8 feet tall. Rangers are easily clipped into topiary or hedges, although clipping at the wrong time can prevent blooms.

Plant Spotlight: Texas Ranger

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