Salvia elegans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Salvia elegans |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Salvia
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| Species: |
elegans
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| Synonyms | |
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Salvia rutilans Carrière |
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Salvia elegans is a cool plant that has a few different types, like pineapple sage and tangerine sage. It's a type of shrub that lives for many years and originally comes from Mexico. You can find it growing naturally in mountain forests, usually high up between 1,800 and 2,700 meters (about 6,000 to 9,000 feet) above sea level.
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What is Salvia Elegans?
Salvia elegans is known for its pretty red flowers and leaves that smell like fruit! The "Pineapple Sage" type has a strong scent that reminds people of fresh pineapple. This plant grows many tall, leafy stems that can reach up to 150 centimeters (about 5 feet) high. It usually blooms with its bright red flowers in the late autumn.
Why Hummingbirds Love It
The red flowers of Salvia elegans are a big hit with hummingbirds and butterflies. In fact, in some forests in central Mexico, pineapple sage is one of the top three plants that hummingbirds visit most often! They love to drink the nectar from its tubular flowers.
When Does It Bloom?
This plant is a "short-day plant," which means it needs shorter days (like in autumn) to start flowering. In Mexico, it starts blooming in August. If you live further north, it might not flower until later in autumn. If there's no frost, it can even keep flowering until spring!
Different Types of Salvia Elegans
- "Honey Melon" Variety: This type of Salvia elegans also has that yummy pineapple smell in its leaves. But unlike the regular pineapple sage, it blooms earlier in the summer instead of waiting for autumn.
- Tangerine Sage: This variety grows a bit shorter, usually about 60 to 90 centimeters (2 to 3 feet) tall. Its leaves have a cool bronze edge and smell like citrus, similar to a tangerine. It flowers during the summer.
Growing Salvia Elegans
When people grow pineapple sage in their gardens, it can get quite tall, reaching about 1.2 to 1.5 meters (4 to 5 feet). Its roots spread underground, forming a big clump. The leaves are a pale yellow-green color, have visible veins, and are covered with tiny, soft hairs.
Flowers and Frost
The plant produces groups of six to twelve bright scarlet flowers arranged in circles along a long stem. These flowers bloom slowly over a long time. If there's a hard frost, the plant might die back to the ground. But don't worry! It usually grows back fresh and new the following spring. People started growing pineapple sage in gardens around the year 1870.
Uses of Salvia Elegans
Both the leaves and the flowers of Salvia elegans can be eaten. In traditional Mexican medicine, this plant is sometimes used to help with general well-being.
See also
