While not as popular as some discussion items like mint anything and cilantro bolting, these types of threads do pop-up with some regularity. Essentially that some herb, various apply, doesn't have much flavor. Most of the time it is 1.) early in the season or 2.) a very young plant. Occasionally it's just a plant that has no taste but the youngness of the plant or newness of the leaves seem to be the biggest culprits.

Do either of those apply? If so, give it some time. Allow the plant and leaves to mature and try tasting again.

FataMorgana

Ditto FataMorgana.

The only other thing I have to add is that when an aromatic plant is grown outside its preferred environment, it won't always have the same strong flavour/aroma as it would when grown in its original habitat. A plant needs heat and sunlight to produce the essential oils which give that flavour/aroma - but if the climate where you live isn't quite as hot, and the sunlight you get is comparatively wishy-washy, you could well be disappointed.

yes, it is new and we have had a much colder than usual spring. heat will come, so i am hopefull! thanks!!

Any basil that offers another flavor combo, like pieapple, will not be very pronouced. Some peope expect the pineapple or other taste to be strong, when it never is. You would usually only get a slight flavor beyond that of regular basil.

But - we aren't discussing basil, Ksrogers, but one of the Salvias!

Got confused, as there are just too many recent basil posts. I did grow pineapple sage some years ago, and found it to also have a very faint favor of pineapple, hardly worth even having that taste. The only way to get a stronger flavor is to use the real thing. In this case, pineapple is the real thing.

Only scent I ever noticed on pineapple mint was in the area of the plant and not of any particular part of the plant. I plant almost every year to warm me of the first frost. In my area it blooms about two weeks before the first frost. Just an oddity but thought I would throw it out there.

When I've grown pineapple sage, it had a wonderful strong pineapple smell, but no taste. At least, I never found a way of using it so I could taste it. I think it's worth growing for the smell and the beautiful red flowers, but it's not really a culinary herb. I'd like someone to prove me wrong by giving me a recipe.

Theloud - I have recipes for you - to prove you wrong!

Pineapple Sage Corn Fritters,
Pineapple Sage and Coconut Pie
Pineapple Sage Pound Cake
Pineapple Sage Salsa
Pineapple Sage Pears

There are sure to be many more out there in WWW-land.

More ideas for using Pineapple Sage:

Pineapple sage or Fruit Salad Sage can be used to add extra flavour to a fruit salad. Or thread onto skewers between meat and vegetables to add flavour to kebabs. The flowers can be added to drinks, jellies, jams, desserts and fruit salad.

Chop finely, mix with cream cheese and crushed pineapple and serve as a spread or dip.

Lay a few leaves on the base of a greased cake tin before adding the plain cake mixture. The taste will be absorbed into the cake, and when turned out will have a no-bother decoration.

As for the flavour - it is quite mild, but I'm convinced that it's stronger if the plant is exposed to stronger sunlight - as here, in the subtropics of Australia, for instance.

I have grown Pineapple Sage in the past, and even when it is large the flavor is subtle. I have read that it is grown mainly as an ornamental and I agree that when it is in full bloom the bright red flowers are stunning. I used it as an accompaniment to lemon balm in a tasty herbal tea.

I read that pineapple sage and pineapple mint make a good combination, because one provides the scent and the other the flavoring, especially in an herbal tea.

What you are all saying seems to confirm that.

Hello, I bought my pineapple sage about 3 months ago and it really smelled wonderful and it has really been growing well in a pot on my balcony. It has been hot and humid here as well. It dried up 3 times, and the leaves became limp. And since then, I have really been taking care to make sure that I keep it well watered. However, it no longer has that wonderful smell, it is like a normal leaf actually. Well, perhaps a hint of what it was, but really, only a hint, it at all. Any ideas?? Thank you in advance for your reply. Maria (I live in the South of France, and the water here has alot of calcaire...would that have anything to do with it?? Sorry, new to this :/ Maria

My pineapple sage, grown in large pots and brought in over the winter, have a very nice pineapple flavor very early in the season when used to make tea. By early June I really don't like it as much since it has too much of a sage flavor - not really something I like a lot of for tea.