Cenizo   Leucophyllum frutescens    
Figwort family — Scrophulariaceae

Also known as:
Purple Sage, Texas Silverleaf, Barometerbush, Ash Bush

Slides: (click for larger view)

The cenizo or purple sage just might be the most popular shrub in Texas. It is a very common component of the native brushlands from the Rio Grande plains to the southern Trans-Pecos, always easy to pick out due to its attractive pale grey-green foliage (hence the name "cenizo", which means "ash-colored" in Spanish). With a little rain, it will quickly burst into flower, turning parts of the brush country lavender-pink; in areas where it is in the dominant shrub, the mass blooming is spectacular. For obvious reasons, it is thus very popular as a cultivated ornamental in various parts of the state.

Dried Specimens: (click for larger view)

Flowering Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

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