Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Rio Bravo Sage
Rio Bravo Sage is a Texas sage with deep green leaves and a dense, rounded shape that stays even on its own. It grows about 5 feet tall and wide, a good size for a low screen, an accent or a row along a wall. Lavender flowers cover it in waves during summer and fall, most of all after rain. It thrives in full sun and reflected heat on low water.
Best for: low screens and barriers, colorful accents, rows along a hot wall, and yards that want a green Texas sage instead of a silver one.
Space plants about 5 feet apart and let them grow into each other. The dense, rounded shapes form a low green screen about 5 feet tall.
It thrives in full sun and reflected heat, so it can go along a hot wall. The deep green leaves stay on all year.
Lavender flowers cover the branches on and off in summer and fall, heaviest during humid spells after rain. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds come to them.
Squeezed into a small space, it ends up sheared, which cuts off flowers. Soggy or poorly drained soil can bring root rot, and shade makes it leggy.
- Beds and borders4-6 ft apart, center to center
- Low screen or barrier5 ft apart, center to center
Water every few days at first, then stretch the time between soaks over the first two months. Water deeply and let the top of the soil dry before the next soak.
Once rooted, give it a deep soak about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer 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 or no pruning. If you prune, cut select branches with hand pruners in late winter or early spring. Shearing cuts off flower buds and thins the plant.
An overgrown plant can take a hard renewal cut in early spring. Then leave it alone and let it grow back into its natural shape.
Too much water and poorly drained soil cause root rot, the most common way to lose one. Plant it where water drains away and water 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 Rio Bravo Sage get?
It grows about 4 to 5 feet tall and about as wide, at a moderate pace, into a dense, rounded shrub. Plant it about 5 feet apart so it has room to fill in.
How far apart should I plant Rio Bravo?
Plant them about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center. About 5 feet works well for a low screen that grows together, and the Spacing tab shows both options.
When does Rio Bravo bloom?
It blooms on and off in summer and fall, best during humid spells and after summer rains. Leave it unsheared so the lavender flowers can cover the branches.
Rio Bravo vs Lynn's Legacy: which should I pick?
Both are the same species. Rio Bravo has deeper green leaves and blooms mostly after rain, while Lynn's Legacy has sage green leaves and flowers more often. Pick Rio Bravo for deep green leaves and a low screen.
Does Rio Bravo need pruning?
It needs very little pruning if you give it room at planting. It keeps a dense, rounded shape on its own, so let it grow naturally and do not shear it.
How often should I water Rio Bravo?
Water deeply while it roots in, then let the soil dry between soaks. Once rooted, a deep soak about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and about monthly in winter is plenty.
What soil does it need?
Plant it in well-drained soil. Alkaline desert soil is fine, but skip low spots where water sits, since soggy ground brings root rot.
Can Rio Bravo take reflected heat?
Yes. It thrives in full sun and reflected heat, including hot walls. Plant it in full sun for the best shape and the most flowers.
How cold can Rio Bravo take?
It takes cold to about 10°F, like other Texas sages. Valley winters do not hurt it, so it needs no frost cover.
Does it attract hummingbirds and bees?
Yes. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds visit the flowers, most of all after the summer rains. Leave it unsheared so the flowers keep coming.
Will deer eat Rio Bravo?
Deer usually leave it alone. It is a good choice for yards where deer browse other shrubs.
Can Rio Bravo bother allergies?
It can. Its pollen can bother people with allergies.
Rio Bravo Sage for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Rio Bravo Sage (Leucophyllum langmaniae 'Rio Bravo') is a Texas sage with deep green leaves and a dense, rounded shape. It grows about 5 feet tall and wide and flowers lavender after summer rains. Below: size, spacing, bloom, water, pruning, sun and cold, plus how it compares with Lynn's Legacy.
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.
Rio Bravo Texas sage in Arizona
Rio Bravo is a Texas sage with deep green leaves and a dense, rounded form. It grows about 5 feet tall and wide. Lavender flowers cover it in waves after summer rains.
How big does Rio Bravo Sage get?
It reaches about 4 to 5 feet tall and about as wide. It grows at a moderate pace and stays evenly rounded with very little pruning.
How far apart to plant Rio Bravo Sage
Plant it about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center. About 5 feet apart makes a low screen or barrier that grows together.
Rio Bravo vs Lynn's Legacy
Both are the same species. Rio Bravo has deeper green leaves and blooms mostly after summer rains. Lynn's Legacy has sage green leaves and flowers more often through the warm months.
Rio Bravo in full sun and reflected heat
Rio Bravo thrives in full sun and reflected heat, including hot walls. Full sun gives the best shape and flowering. It handles cold to about 10°F.
Watering Rio Bravo in Phoenix
Water deeply while it roots in and let the soil dry between soaks. Once rooted it needs little water. Plant it in soil that drains well.
Should you prune Rio Bravo Sage?
Sited with enough room, it needs very little pruning. Let it grow naturally without shearing so the flowers are not cut off.
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.