Herb - Pineapple Sage

The red tubular flowers emerge in August. The bruised foliage of Pineapple sage really does smell like fresh pineapple. . The Pineapple Sage, 'Salvia elegans', is a semiwoody, mostly herbaceous, subshrub, 3-5 ft () in height with an open-branched, airy habit. The sages are tough and easy to grow and many attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The fresh leaves of pineapple sage are used in fruit salads and drinks. Pineapple sage is often grown as an annual and often grown in containers. The delicious flowers add color and flavor to salads and deserts. Pineapple sages make a stunning center piece or border plant. Northern gardeners can cut pineapple sage back and dig it up in autumn to overwinter indoors. It will grow to shrub size in a single season. Crush a few fragrant leaves into hot or iced tea for a flavorful treat. Like most mints, pineapple sage has square stems. Use pineapple sage in the center of beds and borders, where its open, airy structure will not hide other plantings. ... more