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Salvia elegans Golden Delicious

Salvia elegans Golden Delicious
Pineapple Sage, Pineapple-scented Sage

4,6/5
9 reviews
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1 reviews

A wonderful plant. Installed in our garden for 4 years, in Gironde, sandy soil just enriched with homemade compost, it brightens up the autumn. I constantly take cuttings which root amazingly well, as they say in Gascony. A must-have in your home.

Viviane Lamarlere , 04/11/2024

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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

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This stunning perennial plant is a natural mutation of the Pineapple Sage. It is a fabulous undershrub, with permanently yellow, tasty and fragrant foliage, whose blood-red flowers explode like fireworks in autumn, with large spikes of scarlet flowers splashing the golden mass of its foliage. This aromatic plant is not very hardy, but it is robust and asserts itself like a true conqueror in well-drained or even occasionally dry soil. It will find a place in ornamental flowerbeds, in aromatic gardens, or in a large pot to be stored over the winter in cold climates.
Flower size
4 cm
Height at maturity
80 cm
Spread at maturity
80 cm
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -6°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time April
Recommended planting time April to May
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Flowering time October to November
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Description

The Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious' is a stunning and rare perennial plant. This fabulous undershrub is a natural mutation of the Pineapple Sage. Its flavourful and fragrant foliage emerges green-yellow and gradually turns bright yellow over time. In autumn its blood-red flowers explode like fireworks, with large scarlet flower spikes splashing the golden mass of its foliage. While this plant is not very hardy, it is robust and victorious in milder climes, in well-drained or even occasionally dry soil. This collector's plant will find a place in sunny flower beds, in aromatic gardens, or in a large pot to be stored over winter in cold climates.

The Salvia elegans, like all salvias, belongs to the family of Lamiaceae or Labiates. This perennial with creeping rhizomes is native to Mexico and Guatemala, where it colonises pine and oak forests at medium altitudes, which explains its low hardiness. 'Golden Delicious' spontaneously appeared in 2001 in the United States, in the heart of a bouquet of classic pineapple salvias. The plant forms a beautiful clump with a spreading habit composed of semi-woody and hairy stems bearing triangular, rich-to-the-touch, bright yellow leaves with a surprising pineapple scent and flavour. It reaches a height of 80 cm to 1 m (31.5 in to 3 ft 4 in), sometimes more under the right conditions, with a minimum diameter of 80 cm (31.5 in) if not destroyed by frost. The nectar-rich and honey-scented blooms are also flavourful. Characteristic of short-day plants, flowering occurs in October or November, then in March, in open ground in mild climates or in a cold frame in cold climates. The flower spikes are upright and branched. They have slightly purplish square-sectioned stems bearing long and slender scarlet tubular flowers, surrounded at the base by a bright yellow sheathing calyx. The hardiness of this species does not exceed -7°C (19°F) in a protected position and in dry soil during winter.

The obvious ornamental qualities of the 'Golden Delicious' Pineapple Sage make it an exceptional flowerbed plant. In nature Pineapple Sage grows in rather moist but well-drained soils, under a mountainous but warm climate. 'Golden Delicious', generous and unique, will bring a lot of joy to late-season perennial or annual flower beds, in the company of silvery-leaved shrubby artemisias, perennial chrysanthemums, or to warm up the last roses in the garden. Placed in front of a small winged euonymus (Eunymus alatus compactus), smoke bush (Cotinus), or prunifolia spirea, its brilliant flowering and dazzling foliage will blend with their autumn foliage to create a veritable landscape of fire. On the terrace, place it in a large pot to admire it up close, enjoy its show, have it within reach when cooking, and store it away from severe frost during winter.

Culinary idea: Pineapple sage leaves can be used fresh or frozen in ice cubes. They are used in exotic dishes to enhance pork, duck or veal, but also in sweet and sour recipes. They make excellent herbal teas. The flowers are also edible and can be used to flavour desserts, add a colourful touch to fruit salads, or brighten up cocktails, pastries, and sorbets.

 

 

Salvia elegans Golden Delicious in pictures

Salvia elegans Golden Delicious (Flowering) Flowering
Salvia elegans Golden Delicious (Foliage) Foliage
Salvia elegans Golden Delicious (Plant habit) Plant habit

Flowering

Flower colour red
Flowering time October to November
Inflorescence Spike
Flower size 4 cm
Fragrance slightly scented, Parfum d'ananas
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour golden
Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased
Foliage description Flavour and aroma of pineapple.

Plant habit

Height at maturity 80 cm
Spread at maturity 80 cm
Growth rate fast

Botanical data

Genus

Salvia

Species

elegans

Cultivar

Golden Delicious

Family

Lamiaceae

Other common names

Pineapple Sage, Pineapple-scented Sage

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference81246

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Planting and care

Plant Salvia elegans after spring frosts in a cold climate or in September-October in warm climates. Undemanding in terms of the soil, it does however require it to be humus-rich, light, not too poor and to not dry out completely in order to support flowering. This plant thrives in sunny sites or at a stretch in partial shade, where it will tend to lean to seek out light. It requires regular watering in case of drought to flower abundantly. In poor soil, incorporate a little well-rotted compost or leaf mould. Mulch it in winter in colder regions, and isolate it from the cold and rain as much as possible. Install it in the most sheltered corner of the garden, on a sandy slope, or in any substrate that does not retain moisture which would be fatal to it in winter. It tolerates pot cultivation wonderfully, allowing the most continental gardeners to be able to store it over winter.

Pot cultivation:

Place Salvia elegans in full sun from May and store it in a cool, frost-free place in autumn. A well-ventilated site is important for the plant's health. Its foliage can be subject to attacks from scale insects indoors or in a greenhouse. During winter watering should be greatly reduced. Cut back the vegetation hard in spring.

In milder regions, such as mild oceanic or Mediterranean climates, outdoor cultivation is entirely possible. The soil should remain moist in summer, and the plant should be frequently watered during the growing season. Prune it back in autumn and cover the stump with straw and a weighted waterproof sheet to protect the plant from the combination of cold and humidity.

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Planting period

Best planting time April
Recommended planting time April to May

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Rockery, Woodland edge
Type of use Border, Container, Greenhouse, Conservatory
Hardiness Hardy down to -6°C (USDA zone 9a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Experienced
Planting density 3 per m2
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Neutral, Calcareous
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light)
Soil moisture Moist soil, draining, fertile

Care

Pruning instructions Pot cultivation: Prune the vegetation hard in spring. Open ground cultivation: Prune in autumn.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time March, October
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Needs protection
4,6/5
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