How to Grow Eucomis Plants in your Garden

Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Pineapple Flower and Pineapple Lily

Eucomis are half hardy bulbs that reach between 60 and 90 cm in height.

They bear toilet brush shaped heads that carry tiny stellar flowers of green or white.

The foilagge is attractive and sword shaped.

The size of the plant makes them ideal for use in borders.

Some of the common names for Eucomis include Pineapple Flower and Pineapple Lily.

Eucomis
Eucomis by Wallygrom.

Eucomis Growing and Care Guide

Common Names: Pineapple Flower, Pineapple Lily.
Life Cycle: Half hardy bulb.
Height: 24 to 36 inches (60 to 90 cm).
Native: Africa.
Growing Region: Zones 8 to 10. Or as an annual in zones 3 to 7.
Flowers: Summer.
Flower Details: White, purple, green. Star-shaped. Raceme.
Foliage: Sword-shaped. Wide.
Sow/Growing Outside: Usually grown from Eucomis bulbs as seed grown plants will not bear flowers for about five years.
Eucomis bulbs: 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm). Spring. Spacing 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm).
Seeds: Cover. Spring.
Sow Inside: Germination time: 3 to 4 weeks. Temperature: 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C). Before expected last frost. Transplant outdoors in spring.
Requirements and care: Full sunlight. Good drainage. Ordinary soils. Provide a weak feed. Regular watering whilst growing. Keep soil slightly moist but do not overwater during periods of dormancy. If growing as an annual in cooler regions lift the bulbs and bring them indoors; store in vermiculite in a dry and cool part of the house. Propagate: by dividing in the spring.
Miscellaneous: The name comes from Greece and refers to the tuft of bracts that are present on top of the inflorescence. The name literally means pleasing hairy head.

How to Grow Pineapple Flower and other Eucomis Plants in the Garden

The bulbs of Eucomis plant species such as Pineapple Flower should be sown by planting at a depth of 10 to 15 cm in the spring. Pineapple Flower likes to grow in a sunny area of the garden with good drainage and the soil type is not of great import.

If you prefer to grow Pineapple flowers from seeds then they should be sown in the spring (just cover them with topsoil); or seedlings can be started off inside at the beginning of spring; germination of Eucomis takes about three to four weeks at a temperature of 21 to 24 degrees centigrade.

It will take about 5 or 6 years before Pineapple flowers grown from seeds will come into bloom.

Caring for Eucomis Plants

Once Pineapple flowers (Eucomis plant) are established more can be had by dividing them in the spring. Eucomis plants are quite easy to grow; the soil should be kept moist (even in winter apply a light watering), and a light fertiliser should be applied when the plants are growing. In very cold areas it may be necessary to bring Eucomis bulbs indoors in the winter to protect them from the weather.