Birth flower for September 22
Pineapple sage
Meaning: Domestic virtue, esteem
Crush a leaf of pineapple sage and it smells remarkably like ripe pineapple, which gave the plant its name. It is a short-day plant, so it waits until autumn days shorten before opening its slender scarlet tubes. In its native range those tubes are made for hummingbirds, its main pollinators. Both the leaves and flowers are used in teas and salads.