Salvia elegans

Salvia elegans is a wonderful shrub from Mexico and Guatemala. It's often grown in a large ornamental pot, gracing a warm corner of the herb garden in summer. Better known as pineapple sage, it's impossible to resist touching the foliage, which releases the refreshing fragrance of pineapple. Less well-known are its flowers, which appear towards the end of summer.

Grow Salvia elegans in well-drained soil in full sun. Since it's tender, the brilliant scarlet flowers can only be enjoyed if grown in a frost-free place. Try bringing containers of Salvia elegans into the conservatory for the winter or taking cuttings in late summer and early autumn as an insurance.