Once the holidays are over, there are those who, after successive failures, come to the nursery in search of some plant that can withstand summers with little water and minimal maintenance. One of the species we recommend is Leucophyllum.
In our nursery we have three species of Leucophyllum. \*\*Leucophyllum frutescens, Leucophyllum frutescens 'Green Cloud' and Leucophyllum langmaniae
_L. frutescens_ is a species of the Scrophulariaceae family, native to the Chihuahua desert, in Texas and Mexico. It is a shrub with evergreen or semi-evergreen leaves, with a woolly texture and a silver-gray color. The name of the plant comes from the color of its leaves (Leukos, "white", and phyllon, "leaf"). Its dimensions, when adult, are 100 to 150 centimeters high, by 100 to 125 centimeters wide. The flowering corresponds to the cycle of a desert plant, that is, very intense and of short duration. The flowering appears, as a curiosity, a few days before the first rains after a long period of drought, surely due to atmospheric humidity; this characteristic, considered as a survival character in plants of semi-desert habitats, makes it considered as a barometer to forecast rains. In our area this can occur from June to September/October. The flowers are lilac pink in color, are covered with woolly hairs and completely cover the entire shrub, giving it a lot of color.
Image of Leucophyllum frutescens\\. Source: www.keyword-suggestions.com
It is a species belonging to hardiness zone number 8, with an average minimum annual temperature range of -12.2 / -6.7°C, showing resistance to mild frosts. It is therefore a species that we can use in many areas of our territory.
Leucophyllum frutescens prefers light and well-drained soils, avoiding if possible those that are clayey. It likes dry soils and if during winter the soil is very moist it will poorly resist the cold, then we will see a plant with an ugly appearance, with few leaves and yellowish colors.
It is a shrub resistant to salinity and sea breeze, so it can be used in gardens near coastal areas.
It is advisable, in late autumn, to perform a pinching of the shoots, in this way we will obtain a more compact habit, and we will avoid the tendency that this species has to become bare at the base.
It is also necessary to highlight its great capacity for drought resistance, being able to go long periods of time without any watering, once the plant is well established.
\*L. frutescens \*\*\'Green Cloud' \ differs from L. frutescens\* because it has leaves of a more greenish gray color, the other characteristics are very similar.
\* \Image of\ Leucophyllum frutescens 'Green Cloud'\*. Source: www.deserthorizonnursery.com
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_L. langmaniae _ varies basically in habit, it is much denser than L. frutescens and its flowers are intense pink in color.
Normally we will observe that with all Leucophyllum, the drier the period before flowering, the denser the flowering will be.
Image of Leucophyllum langmaniae\\. Source: toptropicals.com
It is a very drought-resistant species that offers a very spectacular touch of color to our gardens, which will leave more than one speechless.