Pineapple lily

Pineapple lily: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Bulb plant about 50 cm tall and 30 cm wide, with a rosette of leaves at ground level.

Leaves

Long, strap-shaped, wavy and glossy green; they turn yellow in autumn.

Flower

A dense spike of pale green flowers with a purple edge, from July to September, with a leafy tuft on top.

Stem

Sturdy and purple-spotted, about 50 cm tall.

Bulb

A firm bulb with thick roots; prone to rot in cold, wet soil.

Flowering: July–September · Plants: April–May

Why grow it?

• Exotic-looking flowers in July–September, when many borders are fading.
• The pale green flowers with purple edges and the purple-spotted stem make a striking, unusual combination.
• Bees visit the flowers and the seed capsules stay decorative into autumn.
• A good cut flower: the spikes stay attractive in the vase for a long time.
• Fine in a pot, so you can easily move it frost-free.

Pineapple lily: where does it grow best?

• Full sun in a warm, sheltered spot, for example against a south-facing wall or on a patio.
• Humus-rich, free-draining soil: sandy or loamy, neutral to chalky. It does not tolerate wet feet in winter.
• Keep the soil moist during growth: it comes from summer-rainfall regions and wants plenty of water in summer.
• Allow 25–30 cm between plants. In a pot, use a roomy, deep one with holes in the bottom.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.5 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Half hardy (to -10 °C): protect it in harsh winters

Goes well with

• Ornamental grasses: Soft plumes that make the pale green flower spike stand out.
• Argentinian vervain: Airy purple flowers above and behind the compact bulb, echoing the purple of the stem.
• Sage: Violet and blue next to the pale green, in the same sunny soil.
• Dahlia: Flowers in the same period and adds more colour.
• Agapanthus: Also South African, likes the same warm spot and adds blue.

Pineapple lily: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant the bulbs in April–May, once the worst frosts are over.
2. Dig a hole 15 cm deep and mix in compost and some coarse sand for free-draining soil.
3. Set the bulb with the tip upwards, about 15 cm deep; in a pot, use a roomy, deep pot.
4. Space plants 25–30 cm apart and plant several together for a full group.
5. Water thoroughly after planting; after that wait until shoots appear.
6. Spread a 5 cm layer of mulch over the spot.

Care

Water

During growth, water regularly and generously, especially in dry summers. Stop watering when the leaves die back.

Feeding

Every two weeks, a potash-rich feed from leaf growth until August, for example tomato feed. Not too much nitrogen.

Mulching

A layer of compost or bark keeps the soil moist and protects the bulb in winter.

Late growth

Shoots appear late, sometimes only in May–June. Give the spot time.

Spent flowers

Leave the seed capsules as decoration or cut the stem when it has turned brown.

Tip: Plant the bulb in April 15 cm deep in a warm spot or in a pot. Cover it with a thick mulch in winter or move the pot frost-free.

Pineapple lily: when to prune it?

When: It is not pruned; just cut off the stems and let the leaves die back.

How:

• Cut the stem when it is brown and dry, or leave it until autumn.
• Let the leaves turn yellow and die back; only cut them when they are completely dry.
• For cut flowers, take the stem when the lowest flowers are open.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Offsets

In spring, when lifting or repotting, detach the small offset bulbs and plant them separately. They flower after a few years.

Leaf cuttings

In summer, cut off a whole leaf with a piece of the bulb base and insert it in sandy compost. New little bulbs form.

Seed

Sow in spring in seed compost at 18–20 °C. Plants take a few years to flower.

Pineapple lily: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −10 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Hardy to about −10 °C, but only in a dry, sheltered spot under 10–15 cm of mulch.
• In heavy or wet soil, lift the bulbs once the leaves have died back, let them dry and store them dry at 5–10 °C, frost-free.
• In a pot: keep the pot dry and store it frost-free, for example in a cold greenhouse or garage.

Diseases and pests

• Rotting bulb: Caused by wet soil in winter. Plant in a free-draining spot and cover the bulb against rain in winter.
• Slugs: They eat the young leaves in spring. Collect them in the evening and protect young shoots.
• Vine weevil: The grubs eat bulbs in pots. Check when repotting and remove the white grubs by hand.
• No shoot: The plant starts late. Wait until June before giving up and do not let the soil dry out.

Through the year

• March: Check overwintered bulbs and repot if needed.
• April: Plant bulbs, 15 cm deep. Apply mulch.
• May: Plant. Keep slugs off. Wait for growth.
• June: Water in dry weather. Start potash feed.
• July: Flowering starts. Water generously.
• August: Full flower. Cut flowers for a bouquet. Feed.
• September: Flowering. Leave the seed capsules. Water less.
• October: Leaves turn yellow. Lift bulbs in heavy soil.
• November: Mulch thickly or move pots frost-free.
• December: Rest. Keep bulbs dry.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name Eucomis comes from Greek and means beautiful hair, after the tuft of leaves; bicolor refers to the two colours of the flower: green with a purple edge.
• The flowers open from the bottom up, so the spike flowers for weeks.
• The plant comes from summer-rainfall regions, so it wants plenty of water in summer and a dry rest in winter.