This is an old revision of the document!
Pineapple sage marks the close of summer
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.