Name: Salvia elegans ‘Golden Delicious’ aka golden pineapple sage
Type of Plant: This is an annual for those in the colder regions, but a perennial in Zones 8 to 10. But what a long season of interest it has in the garden! Grow this salvia in full sun where you want easy, spectacular foliage color all summer and flowers in the late fall.
Why I Love This: The foliage smells like pineapple and lights up the garden. ‘Pineapple Delicious’ grows full and bushy so even a few plants add quite a punch to a garden. They are tolerant of light frosts in the fall which is good because they don’t start to produce the red flowers until late September or early October.
A Word to the Wise: This annual is usually propagated by cuttings. Plan on purchasing plants in the spring or taking cuttings in the fall so that you’ll always be able to enjoy this annual. One plant will fill a space two to three feet wide and tall. It’s the perfect companion with African blue basil.