Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious'

3/31/2022 10:16 am

𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐬 '𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬’ 

(𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞)

 

 

 

 

This cultivar of pineapple sage has the same great scent as regular pineapple sage but sports bright golden foliage. Like the straight species, Salvia elegans, the cultivar ‘Golden Delicious’ shines in late fall when most blooming perennials are dying out. Minor frosts seem to have no impact. There are even reports of it blooming through freezing temperatures. 

 

Reaching 3-4 feet high to 2-3 feet wide quickly, Salvia elegans ‘Golden Delicious’ grows in part sun or full sun.  More sun will give it more yellow color.  It is heat and humidity tolerant.

 

It is reported to be cold hardy for zone 8a and higher.  Time will tell if it proves truly hardy near the 7b/8a borderline area that encompasses metro Atlanta (which has not seen true zone 7b temperatures of 5-10 degrees since 2014).  My plant from 2021 has basal foliage as of the last week of March 2022.  Guess that new one I picked up just in case it didn’t come back will go someplace else!  This year, I will be careful not to locate the annual Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’ too close to Salvia elegans ‘Golden Delicous’.  The color clash was a bit harsh.  Lesson learned.