How to Grow Pineapple Sage
Pineapple sage is a tropical variety of sage grown as a perennial in zones 8 to 11 and an annual in other parts of the country. It is just beginning to gain popularity in the United States. Used to flavor meats, drinks, salads, jams, teas, and as a garnish on everything else. The vivid red flowers attract hummingbirds to the garden from September to early spring. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Plant your pineapple sage in a pot or container in early spring and put it out in your yard. If you live in an area where pineapple sage can not winter over, chances are good that by the time it is ready to flower in September you plant is dying. Grow it outdoors in a pot to easily take it in at the end of the season and let it flower over the winter on a window ledge.
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Choose an area that gets partial shade for placing your pot outside or for planting the sage in the ground if you don't want to keep it in a container. Depending on where you live and if the plant is a perennial or an annual, pineapple sage can grow from 2 to 6 feet tall if planted in the ground as a perennial.
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Water your pineapple sage daily on any day that it doesn't rain. These plants do best in moist, not wet soil. Mulch the ground around the plants to help the soil retain moisture.
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Encourage young plants to branch before getting too tall by pinching off the growing tips of the main stem and side shoots. Pineapple sage develops woody stems that support the weight of the plant and do not require staking.
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Clip a cutting from the plant and place it in a jar of water in July or August, if you live in an area where your plant is an annual. Plant the cutting in a 6 inch pot after roots have developed on the cutting. Pineapple sage cuttings root easily. Bring the potted plant inside to winter on a window ledge and plant it in the garden in the Spring.
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Mulch the ground and cover the plants for the winter if you live in an area where pineapple sage is a tender perennial that goes dormant in the Winter and comes back to life in the spring. Growing the pineapple sage in a sheltered area against the house can also help winter survival in certain zones.
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