Pineapple sage.

To: herbs.teleport.com
Subject: Re: Sage in wet climates
From: Laura Michaels <Laura.aol.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 20:24:56 -0500

> I still can't get sage to grow more than 3 leaves
>Well, I've tried in pots, in ground, overwatering, underwatering, shade, sun etc etc. I did notice once that my 3 leafer did grow a 4th leaf when it was left out in the rain for a while. Maybe it's the water here?

I had trouble growing sage too and I was in Texas at the time where it was very warm and fairly dry most of the year. If you don't care what kind of sage you grow, try pineapple sage. I had a lot more luck with it. It's also edible and has gorgeous red flowers.

From: Margaret <mlaute.micron.net>

> If you don't care what kind of sage you grow, try pineapple sage.

And those gorgeous red flowers are edible, delicious and sweet. Makes you long to be a hummingbird.

From: Stone_Haus_Farm.prodigy.com (Pat Sweetman)

Hey Russell--You probably can't grow Pineapple sage because it may be too dry there. Here in South Central PA USA summers are usually hot and sort of humid and I get pineappple sage 5 ft. high. It doesn't die after the blooms either.

It really makes a very lovely vinegar ---the flowers, I mean. Another wonderful after bath splash or as a drink with a little sugar, gingerale and ice. Try it...serve it to your friends...just don't tell them it's vinegar. It is labled as an annual and really needs no hormomal root assistance. Just break a piece off and stick it in the ground or flower pot. It is one of the few easy things to propigate for me. I truely do not have a green thumb.

From: Russell Hansen <Russell.Hansen.qed.qld.gov.au>

> sage you grow, try pineapple sage.

Gee, I'd forgotten about pineapple sage. I've grown it a few times and I love scent and the flowers. I just wish it didn't die so quickly after it flowers. I can't bring myself to pinching off the flowers to prolong it's life as they're so attractive. I haven't tried propagating any cuttings before it dies (too lazy at the time).

Has anyone had much success with Pineapple Sage propagation? The plant never grows very big either - about and 8 inch round bush. Does this sound about average size?

From: "Fran E. Rich" <frich.tenet.edu>

Pineapple sage is a perennial and shouldn't die after it flowers as annuals do. I just cut mine back drastically from about 4 ft. tall - it had gotten a bit straggly. It's about 3 years old and the stems are about 1 ½ " around. But then our winters are pretty mild (Central Texas, zone 8). It does need protection in colder winters or even over-wintering in a greenhouse.

From: mlaute.micron.net

>The plant never grows very big either - about and 8 inch round bush. Does this sound about average size?

No, mine easily get to two feet tall. Pinching off the flowers won't prolong its life, it's a tender perennial. If it gets frosted, it dies. If it's protected from frost and still dies, something else is going on (root rot, nematodes, etc.) Are you sure that was pineapple sage?

From: Russell Hansen <Russell.Hansen.qed.qld.gov.au>

> Hey Russell--You probably can't grow Pineapple sage because it may be too dry there. Here in South Central PA USA summers are usually hot

I don't think it's too dry here (I know we've been in adrought for a few years, but that mainly affects the country people more than us near the ocean. I probably haven't watered and pruned enough though to keep the plant healthy. It seems like people have had a lot of success propogating it though, so I'll have to find some and start from scratch (and do it righ this time).

There seem to be varying opinions as to whether it's a perenniel or an annual. Given we have very mild winters here (virtually never any frost in winter, and the temperature hardly ever gets below about 3 degrees C, I should be treating it as a tender perennial I'd say.

Thanks for all the advice from everyone, and for the vinegars too. I can't believe how helpful people on this list are compared to a few others I've been on. Everyone obvoisly loves their grardening. I just wish I could find more time to do it - when you work from sun up to sun down, it makes it hard to enjoy the garden.

From: Laura Michaels <Laura.aol.com>

>I should be treating it as a tender perennial I'd say.

I always considered pineapple sage as a tender perennial. When I grew it inTexas I treated it like an annual and bought a new plant each year. I did have one season where I grew it in a well-sheltered area near the house and it managed to make it through the winter though.

>>The plant never grows very big either - about and 8 inch round bush. Does this sound about average size?

I believe mine got to over a foot high, maybe around two feet. I didn't start it from seed though. I bought the plants from a nursery.

From: federici.brutus.bright.net (Sherri F.)

For the first time, last fall I dug up my pineapple sage and brought it inside in a large pot for the winter. It has done beautifully and is bigger than ever! It even bloomed again in December. I am about to take a few cuttings to try for some new starts. I bought some rooting concentrate and am hoping this will help the plants. I'll let you know if they take.