Salvia elegans

Taxobox
name = Pineapple sage

---

image_caption = "Salvia elegans"
image_width = 250px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Lamiales
familia = Lamiaceae
genus = "Salvia"
species = "S. elegans"
binomial = "Salvia elegans"
binomial_authority = Vahl

Pineapple sage ("Salvia elegans") is a perennial shrub native to oak and pine scrub forests in highlands in Mexico and Guatemala. It is not cold hardy; a light frost will kill the leaves and colder temperatures will kill the whole plant.Fact|date=September 2008 It has tubular red flowers and an attractive scent to the leaves. The scent has been compared to pineapple, while others have compared it to the odor of a martini.Fact|date=September 2008 However, the German name of it means "honeydew melon sage". It produces numerous erect leafy stems and flowers in the late autumn. The red flowers are attractive to hummingbirds. In a highland temperate forest in central Mexico, pineapple sage was found to be one of the three most-visited species by hummingbirds. [ [http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.2980%2F1195-6860(2006)13%5B23%3ATDOFUB%5D2.0.CO%3B2&ct=1] Carlos Lara, "Temporal dynamics of flower use by hummingbirds in a highland temperate forest in Mexico", "Ecoscience", Vol. 13, No. 1, (Mar. 2006)]

Pineapple sage does not normally produce fertile seed in cultivation. Commercial growers produce new plants asexually, through cuttings.

Older literature refers to this species as "S. rutilans".

Pineapple sage leaves are edible and can be steeped in hot water to make an herbal tea.

Medicinal Properties

Pineapple sage is extensively used in Mexican traditional medicine, especially for the treatment of anxiety. Although scientific information about these medicinal properties is scarce, a preliminary study on mice found support for the plant potentially having antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties. [ [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8D-4JCBW4T-4&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=7547a1072c539fa88a238c4c6366624f] Maribel Herrera-Ruiza, Yolanda García-Beltrána, Sergio Morab, Gabriela Díaz-Vélizb, Glauce S.B. Vianac, Jaime Tortorielloa, Guillermo Ramíreza, "Antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of hydroalcoholic extract from Salvia elegans", "Journal of Ethnopharmacology", Vol. 107, No. 1, pp. 53-58 (Aug. 2006)]

References

External links

* [http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/salv_ele.cfm "S. elegans"] from [http://www.floridata.com/index.cfm Floridata]