I cut mine back about three weeks ago and I now have nice little shoots on the base. Hope it stays that way till spring!

I have lots of the plants and while I don't mind risking some not coming back, if I really wanted them to live until Spring, I would not cut them back. I do cut mine back, however, and usually lose about half of the plants.
They are very late to emerge in Spring too. Sometime in the Summer, I'll dig up offshoots and plant somewhere else.

Save the prunings when you cut them back. They root very easily in a bit of potting soil and can be saved over the winter in a sunny window.

Even down here near the Florida line, pineapple sage is not always hardy. I find they persist best where the drainage is good, just like other salvias.

Lots of pine straw mulch helps, too.

Nell

I've had pineapple sage in my garden for four years in northeast Georgia. It gets cut back after frost and then mulched heavily. So far, so good.

Thanks to all.

As with many things gardening, I have to choose between two views. Should I cut or should I leave it alone? Well, at least I know I should mulch with pine straw.

The thinking of many gardeners about salvias is that the stems are hollow and cutting back allows water to get into the base of the stem and freeze. Hmmm. My observation has been that the stems are actually pithy. Further observation is that if the old stems are left, they hold up a lot of mulch, which might be beneficial. I cut mine back in spring. I have a garden full of ugly stems all winter. That bothers some people in their gardens.

The salvia coccinea was blackened by frost this week. I was about to cut it back when I noticed green leaves near the ground. The tops shielded the bottom foliage from the frost.

Do what works.

Nell

I've mulched them with regular mulch before and they rotted so I think pine bark would be better as it's more light and airy.

I'm thinking pine straw. I've been using hardwood mulch, but I think it or leaves will hold too much mosture.