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GENERAL
Origin
:
temperate,
sub-Mediterranean,
Mediterranean,
sub-tropical
Vigour
:
normal growth
rate
Humidity
:
very arid, semi-
arid
Propagation :
sowing and
pricking out,
cuttings
Maintenance :
low
CONDITIONS
Urban climate :
resistant
Dessication :
resistant
Stagnant water :
vulnerable
Irrigation
:
low
Salinity/ppm :
moderate (2800
ppm)
Hardiness
:
-15°C
SHAPE
Type
:
shrub
Height
:
1.5 m-2.5 m
Spread
:
1.5 m-2 m
Foliage
:
evergreen
FLOWER
Colour
:
purple
Size
:
2 cm - 3 cm
Period
:
March - June
FRUIT
Type of fruit :
capsule
Fruit size
:
0.4 cm
Texas Ranger is a dense, grey-leaved shrub native to Texas and Mexico. Slow-growing, it reaches a
height of 2.5 metres with an equal spread. The silvery-grey, soft leaves form a compact foliage and
the masses of rose-purple flowers sometimes cover the whole plant, providing a splash of bright
colour in summer and a pleasant fragrance in spring. L. frutescens requires full sun and likes
intense heat: in the shade, it will become straggly. It is highly drought-resistant and grows best
on well-drained, alkaline, sandy soil, which can be poor or stony. Being frost-tolerant, moderate
watering is required, occasionally deep in summer, and waterlogging should be avoided. Propa-
gation is by cuttings. Generally pest-free, it is susceptible to Texas (Cotton) root rot. This shrub
is well adapted to desert conditions and was first introduced into Arriyadh’s residential areas in
the early 1980s (CE) at the Staff Housing project for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where it was
observed that it could also be sheared into hedges and shapes. There are many cultivars with a
range of flower and leaf colours. It is excellent as a colourful accent and contrast to other greener
plants, and for planting in transition zones between intensive and extensive landscapes. It can
be used on roadsides, in parks and as a screen. Maintenance requirements are low; pruning back
creates denser foliage.
191
Leucophyllum frutescens,
Scrophulariaceae
Texas Ranger,
Texas Sage