Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Sierra Bouquet
Sierra Bouquet is a large Texas sage with very fragrant flowers. Its dark purple flowers smell like grape bubble gum, and they come on and off through summer and fall. It grows into a large, open shrub about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide with silver-gray leaves. Give it full sun, reflected heat and room to spread.
Best for: a fragrant accent near a patio or path, large beds and borders, screening in open yards, and hot spots with reflected heat.
Plant one where you walk or sit, near a patio or path. When it blooms in summer and fall, the flowers fill the air with a grape bubble gum scent.
It grows about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide with silver-gray leaves. Give each plant about 8 to 12 feet so it can fill out without trimming.
Set plants about 8 feet apart for a loose screen. With no pruning it forms a rounded but open shrub that keeps more leaves in winter than regular Texas sage.
At 6 to 8 feet wide it is too big for a narrow bed. Wet or poorly drained soil can bring root rot, especially in late summer.
- Loose screen8 ft apart, center to center
- Beds and specimens8-12 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.
What does Sierra Bouquet smell like?
The purple flowers smell like grape bubble gum, which is why it is often called bubble gum sage. Plant it near a patio or path where you can enjoy the scent.
How big does Sierra Bouquet get?
It grows about 6 to 8 feet tall and about as wide, at a moderate to fast pace. Give each plant 8 to 12 feet so it can fill out without trimming.
How far apart should I plant Sierra Bouquet?
Plant them about 8 to 12 feet apart, center to center. Use 8 feet for a loose screen, and see the Spacing tab for both options.
When does it bloom?
It blooms on and off through summer and fall, heaviest in late summer and early fall. Save any pruning for late winter so you do not cut off the dark purple flowers.
Does Sierra Bouquet lose its leaves in winter?
It can drop some leaves in winter, but it keeps more of them than regular Texas sage. That is normal, so there is no need to water more.
How is it different from other Texas sages?
It is a different species, bigger than most at 6 to 8 feet, with a more open shape and very fragrant flowers. Choose it for a large bed or screen rather than a narrow border.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted, it needs no winter water. In summer, water sparingly with an occasional deep soak and let the soil dry between.
Can I prune it smaller?
Yes. It takes heavy pruning if you want a smaller shrub. Prune once a year in late winter or early spring, and do not shear it.
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 it take reflected heat?
Yes. Plant it in full sun or reflected heat, such as along a hot wall. Avoid shade, which makes Texas sages leggy.
How cold can Sierra Bouquet 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 bees and butterflies?
Yes. Bees, butterflies and other pollinators visit the flowers. Leave it unsheared so it keeps blooming for them.
Sierra Bouquet for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Sierra Bouquet (Leucophyllum pruinosum 'Sierra Bouquet'), also called bubble gum sage, is a large Texas sage with silver-gray leaves and very fragrant purple flowers. It grows about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide. Below: size, spacing, scent, bloom, water, pruning, winter leaves and cold.
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Sierra Bouquet Texas sage in Arizona
Sierra Bouquet is a large Texas sage with silver-gray leaves and dark purple flowers that smell like grape bubble gum. It grows about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide. It takes full sun, reflected heat and cold to about 10°F.
Bubble gum sage: what it smells like
The flowers of Sierra Bouquet smell like grape bubble gum, the reason for the name bubble gum sage. The scent fills the air when it blooms in late summer and fall.
How big does Sierra Bouquet get?
It reaches about 6 to 8 feet tall and about as wide. It grows at a moderate to fast pace into a rounded but open shrub.
How far apart to plant Sierra Bouquet
Plant it about 8 to 12 feet apart, center to center. Use 8 feet for a loose screen and more room for single specimens.
Sierra Bouquet vs regular Texas sage
Sierra Bouquet is a different species with a more open shape and very fragrant flowers. It keeps more of its leaves in winter than regular Texas sage.
Watering Sierra Bouquet in Phoenix
Once rooted, skip winter watering. In summer, water sparingly with an occasional deep soak. Plant it in soil that drains well.
Pruning Sierra Bouquet
Prune once a year in late winter or early spring, then let it grow. It takes heavy pruning if you want it smaller. Use hand pruners on select branches instead of hedge trimmers.
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.