Maybe under the name Leucophyllum langmaniae You might not recognize it, but if we say ash, Langman ash, or Río Bravo ash, it sounds a little more familiar. This shrub is one of the most appreciated for the purple color of its flowers.
In fact, visually it looks similar to heather, but they have nothing to do between species. Below we will talk about everything we found on Leucophyllum langmaniae.
Contents
Characteristics of Leucophyllum langmaniae
Source: The New Garden
It is very likely that this is the first time you have heard the scientific name of this shrub. Leucophyllum langmaniae, or ash, as it is more commonly known, is actually an evergreen shrub. It is native to Mexico, specifically the Chihuahua Desert, and is characterized by a compact but branched shape, giving it a rounded silhouette that can reach one meter in height and in width.
Some identify it as sage, but in reality it has nothing to do with it (although in some countries, instead of recognizing it as sage, they recognize it as Río Bravo sage.
The species is known to have been discovered relatively recently, in 1985, but beyond that we haven’t found much information about it. What is known is that this type of shrub is very attractive to hummingbirds (although it depends on where you place it and if it is common to find this type of bird in your country) .
How are the leaves of Leucophyllum langmaniae
Let’s start with the leaves. It is worth knowing about them that the veins are almost invisible and they remain green practically all year round (it is perennial, yes, but if there is a sudden change in temperature or the like, it can lose them to germinate when the temperature is warmer). On some occasions, due to the growing season or temperature changes, they may turn a bit silvery (or blue-green).
The leaves are spatula shaped while the edges are wavy. In addition, they are soft, which gives it a very soft and pleasant texture.
To this we must add that they have a very pleasant smell of leaves.
does it bloom?
Yes, you will find that this shrub blooms in the summer and its flowers last well into the fall. The usual color of this plant is soft purple. Of course, it should be borne in mind that he gives only one flower for several, not a group of them.
A peculiarity of the flowers of Leucophyllum langmaniae is that the petals are covered with a fine down. This is what differentiates it from another similar ash tree, Leucophyllum laevigatum. In fact, the flower of the two differs in appearance, which makes it easy for you to tell them apart.
Of course, you should bear in mind that the flowers have no fragrance, so they only look pretty, but they will not give off an aroma.
And does it have fruit?
In this case we must tell you that no, Leucophyllum langmaniae has no fruits.
What care does Leucophyllum langmaniae need?
Source: Green Landscape of the Pacific
Now that we have presented this shrub to you, know that it is widely used as a hedge, or for fences, because it is quite dense and does not allow prying eyes to pass through. Perhaps that is why it may attract more attention to have it in your garden. But of course, one of the most important things to consider is the care of this plant.
Do you want to know what you need to stay healthy and alive all year round?
Lightning
We start with the location, and therefore the lighting. It is a plant that needs a lot of light, so we do not recommend having it indoors. It is best to place it in the garden because it will look much better that way.
Place it in an area with full sun. He loves the sun!
In addition, you will have no problem with it because it tolerates high heat well.
Temperature
Following the tolerance of Leucophyllum langmaniae, you should know that it is a versatile. It tolerates both cold and heat. Indeed, it can also withstand frosts (if they are very strong, it may lose its leaves (because of the frost) but it will recover quickly).
Source: UC ANR
Substrate
As for the ideal soil that you could give this Leucophyllum langmaniae, although it adapts to practically everything, the truth is that if you provide it with sandy soil, it will be more than grateful to you. As for the pH, it supports acids, neutrals and alkalines, so, as you can see, you will not have a problem in this regard.
In this case, when planting in the garden, we recommend mixing this soil with some drainage. They really don’t tell us anything about the maintenance of the plant, but this way you avoid that, if the plant is small, it has difficulty moving forward if the soil is too compact. Once he becomes an adult, nothing will happen, but this way he will surely make him grow faster.
Irrigation
Watering is also not a big problem for this plant. The truth is that their need for water is rather low (if not almost limited). Of course, it needs water, but if you live in an area where it usually rains, you shouldn’t have to worry about watering it because that’s enough for it.
In other areas (where there is a lack of rain) you could water it once a week in the summer (and in the winter with once a month it might be fine). Everything will depend on the weather, location and other aspects that influence irrigation, keep this in mind.
Subscriber
The truth is that, being more of a “wild” plant, it doesn’t need a subscriber. It would only have it if instead of being in the garden you had it in a pot because it is unable to find its nutrients on its own.
Size
You shouldn’t worry too much about pruning either because apart from maintenance to keep it from losing the shape you want it to have, you don’t have to do much more to the plant.
Plagues and diseases
We searched on this subject but, on this specific plant, we did not find any relationship with a pest or disease.
This doesn’t mean he’s immune, but it does mean he can be quite resistant to these.
Multiplication
Finally we come to the reproduction of Leucophyllum langmaniae. And in this case it could be done by seeds (which is the least used method because it is quite slow), or with cuttings (cuttings) of the plant.
The latter is the most common and the one that is done quickly, helping it to spread throughout the garden.
But don’t worry, it’s not an invasive plant. The truth is that when planted, it does not grow to the point of invading the space of other plants, although in this sense it is also necessary to leave space between them so that each one can have its “territory “.
Do you know what Leucophyllum langmaniae looks like?