Pineapple sage is a tender perennial from Mexico and Guatemala that earns two separate reputations in the garden. The leaves, when bruised, release a clear pineapple scent with hints of mint and spice, making this plant a natural for herb and sensory gardens. Then, just as summer winds down and nectar sources thin out, it opens bright red tubular flowers along 3- to 5-foot stems. Those flowers are a hummingbird magnet, arriving precisely when migrating birds are fueling up before heading south.

Outside zones 8 to 10 it is best treated as an annual, though in mild climates it dies back to the ground with the first frost and regrows reliably in spring. Starting from stem cuttings gives better results than direct seeding; cuttings taken in late summer can overwinter indoors as insurance against a hard winter killing the garden plant. The edible flowers have a sweet, fruity flavor and make an understated garnish. Plant it in full sun with moist, well-drained soil and do not let it dry out for long, or the leaves will drop before the flowers open.