It needs to be in a protected spot. Mine is on the south end of the house, planted in a cinder block and does fine.I put about 6 in of leaf mulch over it, too.You could try digging a clump up for safekeeping in the crawlspace, and a deep mulch over whatever you leave in the ground.

I've already taken cuttings that are rooted just in case. I've got them in the basement. My plants outside are near the house and get afternoon sun for about 5 hours this time of year. It's also a raised bed. I haven't mulched yet. I guess I should get going on that this weekend. Thanks. :)

2 out of 3 from last year came back in my garden this year. The 3rd one got too wet over the winter (lower place). The survivors are on a slope, southeast side of the house. One is up next to a clumping bamboo and the other with salvia greggii. I planted those pineapple sage close to other plants that are evergreen.

Usually, mine reseed.

Mine didn't start blooming until 3 weeks ago. I don't think it had time to reseed. When does it normally start to bloom? I planted it in late July. It grew really fast.

I've never had it reseed but I mulch heavily. I usually get about half of the plants to come back. I've decided to phase it out and use the greggii which blooms all season if not as spectacularly as the fall-only blooming pineapple.

You might still get some reseeding, if they were blooming a couple of weeks. It is true for me too that I've had no reseeding where I mulch or leave fallen leaves.

I've never had it reseed but I mulch heavily. I usually get about half of the plants to come back. I've decided to phase it out and use the greggii which blooms all season if not as spectacularly as the fall-only blooming pineapple.

I'm thinking I will use cardinal flower instead of the sage next year. If it comes back, great. I really like the plant and especially the color. It's a very unique red. I took cuttings and have them in the basement under lights. I hope they make it through the winter. Some rooted within 2 weeks.

You might still get some reseeding, if they were blooming a couple of weeks. It is true for me too that I've had no reseeding where I mulch or leave fallen leaves.

It's gone now. I chopped down the dead plant and left the root. I mulched with chopped leaves for the winter. I doubt it had time to set seeds.

I used to have 8 plants growing beside my house. They all came back for 2 years. This year only one back. Like token, I always take cuttings "just in case". Mine usually blooms in late September or early October. This year I gave my daughter a plant. She kept it in a pot and it started blooming in August.

Ginger

It really is almost impossible to know if it's dead at the roots. Watch the area carefully next spring and not just the place of the crown. Sometimes it will sprout up a foot away from the crown. And it comes up late...May in my area.

You can tell if it's pineapple sage sprouts in the early summer while you are weeding because even the young plants have that wonderful smell when you brush against them or break their stems. That is if you don't recognize the leaves right away. Once they sprout they tend to rocket up out of the ground. They do seem to be one of those plants that succeeds for a few years and then starts to decline. It is always best to keep a few cuttings going and grow it in different parts of the garden just to always have it on hand.

One of these days someone will breed one that blooms earlier in the year. Over wintered plants in a greenhouse will bloom all winter long but even they stop in late spring and summer.