Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Green Cloud Sage
Green Cloud Sage is the green-leaved Texas sage, with lush green foliage instead of the usual silver-gray. It grows fast into a rounded shrub about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide. Rose-pink flowers cover it in summer and fall, often right after a summer rain. It takes full sun and reflected heat, and it gets by on little water once rooted. Use it as an informal hedge, a screen or a big block of green along a hot wall.
Best for: informal hedges and screens, green backdrops along hot block walls, large low-water beds, and bee and butterfly plantings.
Set plants about 8 feet apart in a row and they grow together into a green screen about 6 to 8 feet tall. Let them keep their natural rounded shape instead of shearing them flat.
Green Cloud takes full sun and reflected heat off block walls. Its green leaves give a darker backdrop than the silver-leaved Texas sages, so it reads as a solid green screen.
It blooms often in summer and fall, with the heaviest flushes after rain and humid weather. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers.
Too much water or soil that stays wet causes root rot. It gets leggy and flowers less in shade. Regular shearing leaves it thin and woody inside with fewer flowers.
- Hedge or screen row8 ft apart
- Open planting8-12 ft apart
Water deeply every few days at first, then slowly stretch the time between soakings over the first couple of months. Let the top of the soil dry out before the next soak.
Once rooted, a deep soak about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer is plenty, and about once a month or less in winter. Beyond rain it needs little, except in long dry spells.
Its natural rounded shape needs little pruning. If you need to shape it, cut select branches with hand pruners in late winter or early spring. Shearing cuts off flower buds and thins the inside of the plant.
Overwatering and soil that stays wet cause root rot, the most common way to lose a Texas sage. Plant it where water drains away, and water very little in winter.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Green Cloud sage get?
Plan for about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide, and some plants grow larger. Give it plenty of room so you do not have to cut it back often.
How far apart should I plant Green Cloud sage?
For a hedge or screen, plant it about 8 feet apart. For an open planting, use 8 to 12 feet apart. The Spacing tab shows both.
How is Green Cloud different from other Texas sages?
Green Cloud has rich green leaves instead of silver-gray and rose-pink flowers. It grows fast, which makes it a good choice for hedges and screens.
Is Green Cloud the same as Heavenly Cloud?
No. Heavenly Cloud is a cross of Green Cloud and Chihuahuan sage, with lavender flowers. Choose Green Cloud for rose-pink flowers and a larger screen.
When does Green Cloud sage bloom?
It blooms often in summer and fall, with the biggest flushes after summer rains and humid weather. That habit is why Texas sage is called the barometer bush.
How often should I water Green Cloud sage?
Water deeply every few days while it roots, then stretch it out. Once rooted, water about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and once a month or less in winter.
Should I shear Green Cloud sage?
No. Shearing cuts off flower buds and leaves the plant thin and woody inside. Cut select branches with hand pruners in late winter or early spring instead.
Why is my Texas sage dying?
Too much water is the most common cause. Wet soil leads to root rot, so cut back on watering and make sure the soil drains.
Does Green Cloud sage need full sun?
Yes. Plant it in full sun, where it takes reflected heat off walls. In shade it grows leggy and flowers less.
How cold hardy is Green Cloud sage?
Texas sages take cold down to about 10°F. In winter, water very little, since cold, wet soil leads to root rot.
Does Green Cloud sage attract bees and butterflies?
Yes. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers during each bloom flush. Plant it in full sun for the most flowers.
Can Green Cloud sage bother allergies?
It can. Its pollen can bother people with allergies, so plant it away from windows and seating if that is a concern.
Green Cloud Sage for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Green Cloud Sage is a Texas sage with rich green leaves and rose-pink flowers. It is a fast grower that fills a screen or hedge line in full sun. Below you will find its size, spacing, watering, pruning and how it compares with other Texas sages.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Is Green Cloud sage good for Phoenix yards?
Yes. It takes full sun, reflected heat and about 10°F, and it gets by on little water once rooted. Good drainage is the main thing it needs.
How big does Green Cloud Texas sage get?
It grows about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide, and some plants grow larger. Plant it where it has room to keep its natural shape.
How far apart to plant Green Cloud sage for a hedge
Plant it about 8 feet apart for a hedge or screen. For an open planting, space plants 8 to 12 feet apart.
Green Cloud vs silver Texas sage
Green Cloud has rich green leaves and rose-pink flowers. The common Texas sages have silver-gray leaves. All of them bloom in flushes after summer rain.
How to prune Green Cloud sage
Its natural shape needs little pruning. If you need to shape it, cut select branches with hand pruners in late winter or early spring, and skip the hedge trimmer.
How often to water Texas sage in summer
Once it is rooted, a deep soak about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer is enough. Water very little in winter, since too much water causes root rot.
Does Green Cloud sage attract pollinators?
Yes. Bees and butterflies visit the rose-pink flowers in summer and fall.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.