Pineapple Sage, Pineapple-scented Sage,
Salvia elegans
Family: Lamiaceae or Labiatae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Red. Main Bloom Time: Late summer. Form: Irregular or sprawling.
Salvia elegans is an evergreen Perennial growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in leaf all year, in flower from March to May. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 1
Where it is found
Large naturalized clumps are found at woodland peripheries in the Sierra Madre from 6,000 to 9,000 feet in elevation.
Southern N. America - Mexico to Guatemala.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
The leaves have a pleasant scent of pineapple and can be used fresh or dried as a flavouring. They are added to cold drinks and fruit salads, fresh leaves can be placed under sponge cake mixtures to give a subtle scent, whilst the fresh or dried leaves can be added to savoury dishes to give a sausage-like flavour. Edible flowers.
Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
Medicine
Rating: 1
Pineapple sage tea has been used to calm nerves, and it aids in digestion.
Other
Rating: 2
Ornamental. Landscape Uses: Border, Container, Massing, Seashore. Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Tolerates Deer. Dried leaves may be added to potpourris.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Requires a very well-drained light sandy soil in a warm sunny position. Prefers a rich soil. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. The top growth will be cut back to the ground in cold winters but, if the roots are given a good mulch in the autumn, plants will often survive the winter outdoors and resprout freely from the base in the spring. There are some named varieties. 'Scarlet Pineapple' has leaves with a pineapple-like scent. The flowers are very attractive to bees, providing a good source of nectar. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer. Special Features:Attracts birds, North American native, Edible, Fragrant foliage, Attracts butterflies, Suitable for cut flowers.
Propagating it: Seed - sow March/April in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. In areas where the plant is towards the limits of its hardiness, it is best to grow the plants on in a greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood succeed at almost any time in the growing season.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 8-11
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Its other names
Local names
Tangerine sage