Salvia elegans

Please note: This herb dies back in Autumn and Winter, but re-shoots in Spring. Don't expect a bushy plant if ordered during this time of the year!

Pineapple Sage has a beautiful, fruity smell, just rub a leaf between your fingers to release it's scent which is remarkably similar to pineapples. It originates from the high mountain areas of central Mexico and Guatemala. It's a perennial that grows about a metre and a half tall and about a metre wide. Pineapple sage makes a wonderful culinary herb. The red flowers of the plant are edible so use them as garnish in salad, and they have a pineapple flavour which makes a fantastic addition to fruit salads, sorbets, jellies and flans. The leaves of pineapple sage can be great in herbal teas, especially when mixed with lemon balm.

A perennial shrub to 1.3m by 1m, Pineapple Sage has light green leaves with a distinct pineapple fragrance and taste. Leaves can be used for tea. Whorls of small red flowers appearing in summer to late autumn and maybe into winter. Prefers full sun in well drained soils with adequate watering in summer. Suitable for herb gardens, perfumed gardens, cottage gardens, use fresh leaves sparingly in salads, summer drinks, and teas.