Eucomis, The Pineapple Lily, is an eye-catching plant with long, lanceolate, wavy-edged leaves, spotted with purple beneath. The Eucomis gets its name from the Greek eu for good and kome (hair) referring to the attractive flower heads.
These are bulbous herbs, native to South Africa. A tuft of leaves crowns the flower spikes of its ten species. A single flower spike rises from a rosette of thick leaves and is densely covered with small, six-petalled flowers ranging from cream and green shades to pinkish-purple. The spike is topped with a pineapple-like cluster of leaves.
Caring for Eucomis Plants
Eucomis species are attractive feature plants for the garden and the flowers are long-lasting even when cut. This is a very easy plant to grow, relatively needing little or no special attention (in very cold districts the dormant bulbs may be lifted and replanted in spring). Bulbs put into the garden should be planted level with or just below the soil surface in a well drained, warm and sheltered position in full sun.
They are also wonderful as potted plants, although the E. bicolor flower head does tend to droop and fall over unless you tie them up to a stake in the pot. They tend to grow larger if planted into the open garden but in pots they make great specimen plants.
If you do lift the bulbs, plant them in autumn or winter-early spring, and if you put them into pots use a mix of sandy loam with equal amounts of well decayed manure and sand. This mixture ensures good drainage, but a commercial potting mix works just as well. Plenty of water during summer is essential but cut down during winter. Feed with a weak solution of seaweed mix or kelp. Liquid manure or organic plant food may be given when the flower spikes appear.
Common Species of Pineapple Lily
These are bulbous herbs, native to South Africa. A tuft of leaves crowns the flower spikes of its ten species. A single flower spike rises from a rosette of thick leaves and is densely covered with small, six-petalled flowers ranging from cream and green shades to pinkish-purple. The spike is topped with a pineapple-like cluster of leaves.
Caring for Eucomis Plants
Eucomis species are attractive feature plants for the garden and the flowers are long-lasting even when cut. This is a very easy plant to grow, relatively needing little or no special attention (in very cold districts the dormant bulbs may be lifted and replanted in spring). Bulbs put into the garden should be planted level with or just below the soil surface in a well drained, warm and sheltered position in full sun.
They are also wonderful as potted plants, although the E. bicolor flower head does tend to droop and fall over unless you tie them up to a stake in the pot. They tend to grow larger if planted into the open garden but in pots they make great specimen plants.
If you do lift the bulbs, plant them in autumn or winter-early spring, and if you put them into pots use a mix of sandy loam with equal amounts of well decayed manure and sand. This mixture ensures good drainage, but a commercial potting mix works just as well. Plenty of water during summer is essential but cut down during winter. Feed with a weak solution of seaweed mix or kelp. Liquid manure or organic plant food may be given when the flower spikes appear.
Common Species of Pineapple Lily
- E. autumnalis (syn. E. undulata) has long, strap-shaped, wavy-edged leaves and spikes 50-60 cm. It carries pendant, bell-shaped, greenish flowers in late summer and autumn.
- E. bicolor grows to 75 cm and has green flowers with purple margins from February to March, surmounted by a large tuft of leaves.
- E. comosa (syn. E. punctata) has fragrant cream and green flowers. Varieties have pinkish-purple flowers.
- E. pole-evansii, an outstanding species, has spikes growing to 200 cm, the top 60 cm being encircled with wide open, soft green flowers with cream centres.
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