Plant Database
Pineapple Sage
Salvia elegans
Salvia elegans is a tender, herbaceous perennial (often grown as an annual in colder climates) prized for its stunning, brilliant red flowers and its unmistakable, sweet pineapple fragrance. Native to Mexico and Guatemala, this fast-growing, bushy shrub features bright, light green, heart-shaped, deeply veined leaves that release a strong, delightful, sweet pineapple scent when crushed. From late summer through fall, and often until the first frost, it produces an abundance of upright, branching stems bearing showy, tubular, two-lipped, brilliant red flowers in loose whorls, creating a spectacular late-season display. The nectar-rich flowers are a magnet for hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Both the flowers and leaves are edible and are widely used in herbal teas, salads, desserts, cocktails, and culinary garnishes, as well as for their traditional medicinal properties. With its excellent heat and humidity tolerance, and its long bloom season, it is an outstanding choice for sunny borders, containers, pollinator gardens, cottage gardens, and herb gardens. Note: It is not frost-hardy and will die back at freezing temperatures.