Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Texas Sage Compacta
Texas Sage Compacta is the dense, rounded Texas sage that stays about 5 feet tall and wide. Its gray-silver leaves stay all year, and pink flowers cover it in flushes after summer rain. It takes full sun and reflected heat on very little water once rooted. Its tidy shape needs little or no pruning, so it fits beds, borders and low hedges.
Best for: low hedges and borders, foundation beds, mass plantings, hot spots by walls and paving, and yards with heavier soil than most Texas sages like.
Plant it 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center, for a low hedge or border. Its dense rounded form fills in without shearing.
At about 5 feet tall and wide, it suits foundation beds and smaller yards where a full-size Texas sage would outgrow the space.
It takes full sun and reflected heat off walls and paving. It also handles extra water and clay soil better than most Texas sages.
In shade it gets leggy and flowers less. Shearing it into a ball cuts off the flower buds, and soggy, poorly drained ground can still bring root rot.
- Low hedge4 ft apart, center to center
- Beds and borders4-6 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. It takes a bit more water than most Texas sages, but never keep it wet.
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 Texas Sage Compacta get?
It grows about 4 to 5 feet tall and about as wide, sometimes a little wider. It is a dense, rounded mound and grows at a moderate pace.
How far apart should I plant Texas Sage Compacta?
Plant it about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center, for a low hedge or border. The Spacing tab will count plants for your row.
What color are the flowers, and when does it bloom?
The flowers are pink, from dark pink to rosy pink. It blooms in flushes in summer and fall, mostly after rain and humid spells, and bees come to the flowers.
How is Compacta different from regular Texas sage?
It is a smaller, denser selection. Compacta stays about 5 feet, while full-size Texas sage often reaches 6 to 8 feet or more. It also takes extra water and heavy soil better.
Does Texas Sage Compacta need pruning?
It needs little or no pruning, because its dense rounded form holds its shape. If you shape it, thin select branches with hand pruners in late winter or early spring.
Can I shear it into a ball?
It is better not to. Shearing cuts off the flower buds and thins the inside of the plant. Over time sheared shrubs turn woody and use more water.
How often should I water Texas Sage Compacta?
While it roots in, water deeply and let the soil dry before the next soak. Once rooted, a deep soak every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and about monthly in winter is plenty.
Will it grow in clay soil?
Yes, better than most Texas sages. Compacta handles clay and extra water better than its relatives. Soggy ground that never drains can still bring root rot.
Can it take reflected heat?
Yes. It takes full sun and the reflected heat off walls and paving. In shade it gets leggy and flowers less.
How cold can it take?
It is hardy to about 10°F, like other Texas sages, so it needs no frost cover in the Valley.
Do rabbits eat it?
Rabbits and deer usually leave Texas sage alone, since the leaves are aromatic, so you rarely need to fence it.
Can Texas Sage Compacta bother allergies?
It can. Its pollen can bother people with allergies, so plant it away from windows and seating if that is a concern.
Texas Sage Compacta for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Texas Sage Compacta (Leucophyllum frutescens 'Compacta') is a compact Texas sage selection, a dense, rounded shrub about 5 feet tall and wide. It keeps gray-silver leaves all year and blooms pink after summer rain. Below: size, spacing for a hedge, water, soil, 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.
How big does Texas Sage Compacta get?
Texas Sage Compacta stays about 4 to 5 feet tall and about as wide. It forms a dense, rounded mound of gray-silver leaves that holds its shape with little or no pruning.
How far apart to plant Texas Sage Compacta for a hedge
For a low hedge or border, plant about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your row.
Texas Sage Compacta flowers
Compacta blooms pink in flushes through summer and fall, mostly after rain and humid spells. The flowers cover the gray leaves, and bees work them.
Texas Sage Compacta vs regular Texas sage
Compacta is a smaller, denser selection that stays about 5 feet. Full-size Texas sage often reaches 6 to 8 feet or more. Compacta also handles clay soil and extra water better.
Watering Texas Sage Compacta in Phoenix
Water deeply while it roots in, then let the soil dry between soaks. Once rooted, a deep soak every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and about monthly in winter is plenty.
Should you shear Texas Sage Compacta?
No need. Its natural rounded form needs little or no pruning, and shearing cuts off the flower buds. If you shape it, use hand pruners on select branches in late winter or early spring.
Texas Sage Compacta in full sun and reflected heat
Compacta takes full sun and reflected heat off walls, drives and walks. It handles winter cold to about 10°F.
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.