Salvia elegans is a perennial aromatic herb in the mint family (Lamiaceae), commonly known as pineapple sage due to the strong pineapple-like fragrance of its leaves. The genus name Salvia derives from the Latin salvare, meaning “to heal” or “to save,” reflecting the long-standing medicinal reputation of many sage species. The species epithet elegans means “elegant” or “graceful” in Latin, referring to the plant’s striking flowers and refined growth habit. Salvia elegans is native to the mountainous regions of central and southern Mexico, where it grows in pine–oak forests and temperate highlands. It has since been cultivated and naturalized in parts of Central America, the southwestern United States, and other mild-climate regions.

Salvia elegans is used primarily as a fresh culinary herb, with its leaves imparting a sweet, fruity aroma to herbal teas, aguas frescas, desserts, jellies, and fruit-based dishes, while the flowers are eaten raw or infused for color and mild sweetness. Unlike common sage (Salvia officinalis), it is rarely dried for seasoning, as drying diminishes its characteristic aroma. Historically, S. elegans has been used in Mexican traditional medicine as a calming tea and digestive aid, and it was sometimes associated with ritual or ceremonial beverages due to its fragrance. In contemporary use, it is popular in Mexican, Central American, and Southwestern cuisines, as well as in modern herbalism and specialty horticulture, where it is valued for pollinator attraction and edible landscaping.