BIG COUNTRY, Texas (BigCountryHomepage.com) – The sage in bloom, A beloved song lyric for those in the Lone Star State, but is there more behind the budding flower? While being a low maintenance plant, it also has a great story to tell.

Christan Massamba, assistant manager at Garden World, heard the stories of the Texas sage. Coming from the Congo in Central Africa, this wives’ tale was new for him and something he had to see for himself.

“I was just observing this plant to see exactly if that’s what happened,” Massamba explained. “And by the time I realized it, there was a lot of truth in that.”

For KTAB Chief Meteorologist Sam Nichols, the tale of the Texas sage is no stranger to his family. Growing up with grandparents and relatives who were dry land farmers, rain was a constant topic of conversation and prayer.

“Always hearing about when the Texas sage bushes begin to bloom, it is fixing to rain,” Nichols recalled. “I have heard that my entire life.”

While the story behind the bush is nice, what about the science behind it?

Nichols explained how the sage is pretty accurate, “It’s sometimes called the barometer bush because there’s three factors with the Texas sage that causes it to bloom.
“Number one, a change in barometric pressure.
“Number two, increased humidity that means moisture.
“And number three, the moisture level in the soil.
“Sometimes it will be after a rain that the Texas sage blooms, but usually it’s leading up to a rain when the front is coming in.”

As for Massamba, he told Big Country Homepage – don’t come to him if the barometer bush gives a faulty forecast!

While the old wives’ tale may have some truth to it, stick with your trusted Big Country Storm Team meteorologists for a forecast based in science and not so much in soil.