Attractive, fragrant, and extremely flavorful variety
Salvia elegans. This variety of Sage has dark green, pointy soilage and edible, bright red flowers in summer that are a source of nectar for birds and butterflies. This herb is aromatic and also attracts hummingbirds! Add sprigs from this herb to fruit salads and iced drinks, or use as a garnish for desserts. Plant in the border garden or containers in average, well-drained soil.
Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) is an underrated herb in the garden. It doesn't need much attention, but has a lot to offer. It will grow up to five feet tall, and its bright leaves are a delicate shade of green all summer long. It produces slender, trumpet shaped red flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, too.
Did I mention that it really does smell like pineapple? You may be skeptical about the fragrance. After all, the orange and chocolate mints may smell like their namesakes, but only if you concentrate really hard and use your imagination. Pineapple sage, on the other hand, really smells pineapple-y, and it's also an attractive plant in its own right.
Uses for Pineapple Sage
It has quite a few uses, too. It makes a very tasty cold or hot tea. It can be chopped into fruit and vegetable salads (yum). It also has beautiful, edible flowers with a sweet taste. A sprig of pineapple sage as a garnish can make a dish of ice cream or slice of cheesecake look almost decadent. I like to chop it into mild bell pepper salsa and mince a little on pizza.
Growing Pineapple Sage
A half hardy perennial (all weather in zones 8-11), pineapple sage likes well drained, rich soil and lots of light -- six hours a day or more. It needs regular watering. If you do forget to water it, or it starts to droop on brutally hot days. It will sometimes recover, unlike, say, catnip, which is usually down for the count once it begins to show signs of stress.
Give pineapple sage plenty of room to grow. Four feet spacing between plants isn't too much. After it matures, it'll make a nice backdrop for your other herbs. It might also need staking, especially in areas where it's exposed to windy conditions now and then. You can cut it back any time during the growing season if it starts to get rangy (which it will).
Growing Pineapple Sage in a Patio Pot
A potted pineapple sage on my back deck.
Potted pineapple sage can make a dramatic statement on a deck or patio. That's one in the picture. Just remember to use a large pot, 12 - 14 inches, and provide good drainage. If you're temps get into the 90s in summer, mulch the plant and consider giving it partial shade if it starts to droop in the late afternoons.
Growing Pineapple Sage Indoors
You can bring pineapple sage indoors in the fall to overwinter in a sunny window. It won't tolerate a hard frost, so put it on your watch-list when overnight temps start to drop. To prep it for the move, cut it back by two-thirds. Don't harvest leaves over the winter months, either. You should be able to keep it indoors through the summer months too, but don't expect the plant to reach its full size.
Propagating Pineapple Sage
Propagate pineapple sage from cuttings whenever possible. They'll root quickly and easily. Take four inch cuttings and remove all but the top two leaves. Almost any growing medium will work, but I prefer sand. I just place the cuttings in a plastic bag a third full of sand. I put the bag in an eastern facing window for a few weeks and make sure to keep the sand moist at all times. Some of my cutting have rooted in as little as four days. If I think about it, I roll the cut ends in cinnamon (the poor man's rooting compound).
Lamiaceae Salvia officinalis
