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Asparagaceae
Pineapple Lily
Eucomis comosa
Quirky charm, originality, tropical playfulness.
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Genus
- Eucomis
- Native to
- South Africa
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- Bulbous perennial
- Height
- 45–90 cm (18–36 in)
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Hardiness
- 7–10
- Lifespan
- Long-lived perennial
Did you know
- The flower spike looks exactly like a tiny pineapple—a fat raceme of star-shaped flowers topped with a crown of small green leaves, hence the name 'eucomis,' Greek for 'beautiful hair.'
- Despite its tropical look, pineapple lily is hardy down to zone 7 and blooms reliably in southern English and northwestern American gardens.
- Zulu traditional medicine uses Eucomis bulbs as a treatment for hangovers, syphilis, and to ease childbirth—though the plants contain heart-active glycosides and shouldn't be self-prescribed.
- The flowers smell faintly unpleasant—a strategy to attract carrion flies, which are the plant's main pollinators in its native African grasslands.
- Cut pineapple lily stems are remarkably long-lasting in vases—up to three weeks—and have become a cult favorite among modern florists for their quirky, sculptural shapes.
Color meanings
0
quirky charm
1
originality
2
summer joy