How to Grow Pineapple Sage
Salvia elegans
Pineapple sage is a tender perennial (dies below -5C) growing 60-120cm tall with bright green pineapple-scented leaves and tubular red flowers in autumn. In the UK, treat as a tender perennial brought indoors for winter or take cuttings in late summer as insurance. Loves full sun and moist but well-drained soil. Pinch tips to encourage bushy growth. Flowers attract hummingbirds and pollinators.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Requirements
Light
Full sun essential
Needs full sun and warmth for best growth and flowering. Will tolerate light afternoon shade in hot climates but not in the UK.
Watering
Keep moist but not waterlogged
Prefers consistently moist soil unlike drought-tolerant common sage. Water regularly in dry spells but ensure good drainage to prevent root rot.
Fertilizing
Monthly feed in growing season
Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertilizer from spring to autumn. Richer feeding than common sage produces better foliage and flowers.
Pruning
Pinch tips, cut back in spring
Pinch growing tips regularly to encourage bushy growth. If overwintered indoors, cut back hard in spring when new growth appears. Remove any frost-damaged stems.
Growing Tips
Take insurance cuttings
Root softwood cuttings in late summer so you have replacements if the parent plant is lost to frost.
Bring indoors before frost
Move container plants or potted divisions to a frost-free greenhouse or bright windowsill before the first frost.
Pinch for bushiness
Pinch growing tips regularly through spring and summer to encourage a dense, branching habit and delay flowering.
Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 60 cm |
| Row spacing | 60 cm |
| Mature height | 100 cm |
| Mature spread | 60 cm |
