During the record-breaking heat of summer 2023, some Texans put their hopes of rainfall in the flowering of a silvery-gray shrub. An evergreen native to West Texas, South Texas, and the Edwards Plateau, Texas sage has small silvery-gray-to-green leaves and a loose form, unless it’s trimmed into a hedge. With this mild appearance, it usually blends into the surrounding landscape. But from time to time, the plant erupts with vibrant purple flowers, a color riot that many believe heralds rain. After months of brutal heat and cloudless skies, the blooming of the “barometer bush” can be a joyous occasion. But does this popular plant—the official native shrub of Texas—really have the power of prediction?It’s complicated. There are no scientific studies on how rainfall affects Leucophyllum…
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