The source of a plant's common name isn't always obvious, but in Eucomis it's impossible to miss. Known colloquially as pineapple lilies, these strappy-leaved South African bulbs bloom with a flower plainly reminiscent of a certain tropical fruit. Demanding little in both care and space, they make a fun conversation piece in the summer garden and prove worthy of winter storage where they're not hardy.
In summer, the bulb puts up a thick scape topped with a dense raceme of buds that open to reveal small white, greenish or purple flowers. These open along the stem from bottom to top. In full bloom, the raceme resembles the textured rind of a pineapple, thanks to the flowers' star shape. A tuft of green leaves top the flower structure, mimicking a pineapple's crown.The pineapple lily's generous bloom period can cover six to eight weeks, often beginning in midsummer. Prior to that, this plant lends interest with its foliage. The leaves form a dense rosette, usually about a foot tall and spanning one to three feet wide. (As with flower color, precise dimensions depend on species and cultivar.) Individual leaves are long and straplike, with an upright posture and arching outward toward the tip. Their slightly crimped edges add an interesting texture, and the leaf color ranges from bright green to wine red. Some varieties show purple speckling on lime-hued leaves.
GROWING NOTES
This story is from the July - August 2023 edition of Horticulture.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July - August 2023 edition of Horticulture.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
WEEDING OUT WORRY
Two books give perspectives on gardening's importance to mental health
Prized Perennials
GAPS IN THE GARDEN? TRY ONE OF THESE AWARD-WINNING PLANTS AS A SAFE-BET FIX
A TOAST TO CORK
A trip to Portugal inspired Greg Coppa to peel back the botany of the cork oak
THE GARDEN CENTER'S GRIP
SOMETHING WEIRD HAPPENS when gardeners enter a garden center. We change. Suddenly, somehow, we're overcome with this vague yet powerful, transcendental feeling of liberation, and we become aware of money we probably have and hopefully won't otherwise need.
OUTSIDE OF THE BOX
AS BOXWOOD BLIGHT DAMAGES THIS STAPLE EVERGREEN, IT'S TIME TO LOOK AT WORTHY ALTERNATIVES
NEW MOUNDING ANNUALS
Also known as summer snapdragons, angelonias produce spikes of outward-facing flowers throughout the hottest, most humid time of the year.
AN ANNUAL AFFAIR
Combine a designer's best advice with the year's new varieties for a summer's worth of showstopping containers
A Big Role for SMALL GRASSES
The unexpected benefits of small native grasses
GOLDENSEAL
A woodland herb worth guarding
RICHARD HAWKE
Try and try again