By Catherine Bollinger

When blossoms droop, we bid
hummingbirds farewell

When the pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) begins to bloom in earnest, I know it's time to bid farewell to the hummingbirds for another season. A few remaining hatchlings still zip through the garden, but they'll be leaving any minute.

As I watched the pineapple sage grow to 4 feet in height and width, I knew this time was coming. When I plucked its fruity leaves for teas and salads, I could see the flower buds emerging and lengthening. They're a bit different from many Salvias.

These flower clusters droop downward as they lengthen, the dangling red-tinged buds reminding me of fish with tiny red scales. I imagine my pineapple sage to be full of flower fish, ready to swim off the plant to parts unknown.

When the buds reach maturity, they turn upward, becoming typical-looking Salvia flower spikes as the deep red petals open for business.

This tender perennial herb does not reliably return after a winter's sleep. At the first kiss of frost, the leaves blacken. I cut its woody stems back far enough to look unobtrusive in the winter landscape. And because mine is on a well-drained slope in a sunny, protected part of my front garden, it has resprouted from the roots for three springs in a row.

However, if a winter ice storm lingers, or if winter rains are unusually prolonged, it will die. But I'll always plant another to ensure a proper send-off for the hummingbirds heading south to warmer climes.