Leucophyllum langmaniae: characteristics and care of powdery mildew

Leucophyllum langmaniae

Leucophyllum langmaniae

Maybe by the name of Leucophyllum langmaniae You may not recognize it, but if we say ash, Langman’s ash, or Río Bravo ashen, it sounds a little more familiar to you. This shrub is one of the most appreciated for the purple color of its flowers.

In fact, visually, it has a similar appearance to heather, but they have nothing to do between species. Below we will talk about everything we have found about Leucophyllum langmaniae.

Characteristics of Leucophyllum langmaniae

bush of Leucophyllum langmaniae El nou gardenbush of Leucophyllum langmaniae El nou garden

Source: The new garden

It is very likely that it is the first time that you hear the scientific name of this shrub. The Leucophyllum langmaniae, or ash, which is the name by which it is more commonly known, is actually an evergreen shrub. It is native to Mexico, especially the Chihuahuan Desert, and is characterized by having a compact but branched shape, giving it a rounded silhouette that can be one meter both high and wide.

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 sage from Río Bravo.

It is known that the species was discovered relatively recently, in 1985, but beyond that we have not found much information about it. What is known is that this type of shrub attracts hummingbirds a lot (although this will depend on where you put it and if it is common for these types of birds to be found in your country).

How are the leaves of Leucophyllum langmaniae

Let’s start with the leaves. You should know about them that the veins are almost invisible and that they remain green practically all year round (it is perennial, yes, but if there is a sudden change in temperature or similar, it can lose them to sprout when the temperature is warmer). On some occasions, due to the growing season, or when there are changes in temperatures, they can turn a little silver (or blue-green).

The leaves are spatula-shaped while the edges are wavy. In addition, they are fluffy, which gives it a very soft and pleasant texture.

To this you must add that they have a very pleasant leaf smell.

does it bloom?

Yes, you will find that this shrub blooms in the summer and its flowers last until the fall. The usual color of this plant is soft purple. Of course, it must be borne in mind that it only gives one flower for several, not a group of them.

A special feature of the flowers of Leucophyllum langmaniae is that the petals are covered with a fine down. That is what makes it different from another similar ash, Leucophyllum laevigatum. In fact, the flower of both differs in appearance, which allows you to easily distinguish them.

Of course, you should keep in mind that the flowers do not have any fragrance, so they are only pretty, but they will not give off aroma.

And does it have fruits?

In this case we must tell you that no, the Leucophyllum langmaniae does not have fruits.

What care does Leucophyllum langmaniae require?

ramas y flores del Leucophyllum langmaniae Pacific Green Landscaperamas y flores del Leucophyllum langmaniae Pacific Green Landscape

Fuente: Pacific Green Landscape

Now that we have introduced you to this shrub, you should know that it is widely used to cover, or for fences, since it is quite dense and does not let prying eyes pass. Perhaps that is why it can attract more attention to have it in your garden. But of course, one of the most important things to take into account 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 better to place it in the garden since it will be much better that way.

Place it in an area in full sun. He loves the sun!

Also, you won’t have any problems with it because it tolerates strong heat well.

Temperature

Following the tolerance of Leucophyllum langmaniae, you should know that it is an all-rounder. It tolerates both cold and heat. In fact, it can also withstand frosts (if they are very strong, it may lose its leaves (from freezing) but it will soon recover).

the flowering shrub of Leucophyllum UC ANRthe flowering shrub of Leucophyllum UC ANR

Source: UC ANR

Substratum

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 a sandy soil it will be more than grateful. As for the pH, it supports acid, neutral and alkaline, so, as you can see, it won’t give you a problem in that regard.

In this case, when planting it in the garden, we would recommend that you mix that soil with some drainage. They really don’t tell us anything about the care of the plant, but this way you avoid that, if the plant is small, it has difficulties to get ahead if the soil is too compacted. Once it is an adult nothing will happen, but this way it will surely make it 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 summer (and in winter with once a month it could get by). Everything will depend on the weather, location and other aspects that influence irrigation, keep that in mind.

Subscriber

The truth is that, being more of a “wild” plant, it does not need a subscriber. It would only have it if instead of being in the garden you had it in a pot since there it is unable to find its nutrients by itself.

pruning

You shouldn’t worry too much about pruning either since, except for maintenance to prevent 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 have searched regarding this topic but, on this specific plant, we have been unable to find any relationship with a pest or disease.

It does not mean that it is immune, but it does mean that it 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) from the plant.

The latter is the most common and the one that is done quickly, thus helping it to spread throughout the garden.

But don’t worry, it’s not an invasive plant. The truth is that when it is planted it does not grow so much that it invades the space of other plants, although in this sense you must also leave space between them so that each one can have its “territory.

Is it clear to you what Leucophyllum langmaniae is like?

Leucophyllum langmaniae: characteristics and care of powdery mildew

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