The Eucomis comosa, better known as the pineapple lily or pineapple flower, is one of the most characterful bulbs you can grow in a British exotic border. From a fat, clump-forming bulb it sends up a lush rosette of broad, wavy-edged, strap-shaped leaves, often flecked purple beneath, then in late summer a stout, purple-spotted stem carries a dense raceme of pink, star-shaped flowers crowned with a leafy tuft that looks exactly like the top of a pineapple. This is the pink-flowered form, so the spikes flush a soft rose-pink rather than the usual greenish white.Flowering from August into September, the faintly scented blooms are a magnet for bees and other pollinators, and the sculptural seed heads hold their shape well into autumn. It is a deciduous perennial, dying back to the bulb over winter and reappearing in late spring, so do not worry when it vanishes. Rated RHS H4, it is borderline hardy and comes through most UK winters outdoors given sharp drainage, though in colder or wetter gardens a deep, dry winter mulch, or lifting the bulb, keeps it safe. See our hardy exotics: what to expect guide for how these plants behave through the seasons.How and where to grow Position: full sun for the best flowering, in a sheltered, south, west or east facing spot out of cold, drying winds. Soil: fertile and free-draining, from chalk to loam or sand, at any pH, with sharp drainage the priority. Size: reaches around 60 to 75 cm tall and 30 cm across, so it sits neatly near the front or middle of a border. Hardiness: borderline hardy (RHS H4), so mulch deeply in winter or grow in a pot that can be moved somewhere frost-free. Water and feed freely once the leaves are up, then keep the dormant bulb on the dry side through winter. Its love of sharp drainage and sun makes it a natural for a hot exotic border or gravel planting, and it is superb in a large container, so it earns a place among our plants for pots and containers. As a nectar-rich, bee-friendly bulb it also belongs in our plants for pollinators, alongside the rest of our hardy exotics range.Every pineapple lily we send out is nursery-grown, selected for a strong, healthy bulb and packed with care to arrive in top condition, ready to bring a touch of the exotic to your garden.
