Can you eat purple sage, Texas Sage? This perennial evergreen shrub with grayish leaves and budding purple flowers is actually not sage at all.
Rarely called Silverleaf, this popular bush is predominately specified as Texas Ranger Plant or Purple Texas Sage.
Leucophyllum frutescens is the scientific name for this Sage Bush, and it is a member of the figwort family.
Texas Sage shrubs with white flowers are called White Cloud. According to the National Gardening Association, Texas Sage is one plant that is most often ignored by deer unless they are starving.
Rabbits and other small animals in the desert will not eat this Purple Sage either. It is safe to say that this white or purple flowering bush is critter proof!!
After several hours of research we were not able to find any evidence of the Texas Sage plant being edible. Looks like it is best to leave this luscious purple shrub to the bees and the butterflies.
Eating Texas Sage is not recommended. Nonetheless, it is a gorgeous addition to your sun-filled garden! White or purple Texas Sage is a popular ornamental plant that does best in dry, warm locations.
This flowering desert bush can grow up to 8 feet high! In Arizona, Purple Sage is often used as a border or hedge for yards.
To learn more information regarding care and pruning your Texas Sage; check our sage category.
Tjs Garden 
Interesting, I’ve always wondered with its name being “sage”. What’s the relationship between the sage spice we cook with and this plant?
I recently replanted a hesperaloe parviflora “red yucca”. It’s roots are large tubers like beets or potatoes. I looked everywhere, but couldn’t see if anyone has used the roots as food.
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The Red Yucca, hesperaloe parviflora, is not actually in the Yucca family but the Agavaceae family. The name is a bit misleading. You are correct that it is not eaten and actually parts can make you very sick. Thank you for commenting!
Many blessings,
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We did not know it was not a real sage and used it in some stuffed pork chops, I thought it did not taste right but ate it anyway. Well It made us sick with bad stomach cramps. It would have been nice to know it is not a real sage.
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Wez have posted Sly on our blog..So youz might get some new furriends poppin by xx00xx
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Wow, I never knew of this plant! It looks beautiful like fireworks shooting out! Too bad it’s not edible after all!
God bless you! 🙂
-Stenila
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I agree Stenila, I would be cooking with it all the time if it were real sage. Thanks for the comment.
Blessings,
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I don’t know if we get that here (South Africa, that is). We probably do get some variant of but I must admit I’m no good with plants. Looks a bit like Rosemary to me?
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It does look like Rosemary. I wish we could eat it. Thank you for the comment.
Blessings,
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See Wez kept ya busy for a couple of hours..bol Mommy’s makin the cookie on SUNDAY
don’ts forget to save Mez some of those seed’s 🙂
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