Pineapple Lilies - FineGardening (2024)

FAQs

How deep do you plant a pineapple lily bulb? ›

How to Plant Eucomis. Pineapple lilies are surprisingly easy to grow – especially in a container. Three bulbs fit nicely in a 12” diameter pot. They should be planted 3-4” deep, so it's best to use a container that's at least 8” tall.

Pineapple lilies are perennials, meaning they will bloom year after year when grown in favorable conditions. In climates where they aren't winter hardy, you can grow them as annuals or preserve the bulbs for replanting the following spring by digging them up in the fall and storing them indoors in a cool, dry place.

The many tiny flowers are tightly arrayed around the upper portion of each stem and capped with a tousled topknot of leaflike bracts, making the inflorescence resemble a pineapple. That feature explains the plant's Latin name, Eucomis, from a Greek word for “good-haired.”

🍍 A Symbol of Hospitality and Friendship

The Pineapple Lily is more than just a pretty face; it's a historical handshake of welcome. In South Africa, its native soil, it's known as the "Pineapple Flower," a nod to its unique bloom that resembles the tropical fruit.

Planting your bulbs deep enough will also encourage natural division. Lilies also grow "bulblets" along the underground portion of stem, so if bulbs are planted too shallow, you are also restricting your bulb's natural ability to propagate and make new flowering size bulbs.

It is possible to reproduce pineapple flowers by seed and by dividing the bulbs. There is also the more unusual and involved method of taking leaf cuttings.

Pineapple lilies will grow in full sun or partial shade; however, a full-sun location will provide the best blooms and foliage. Depending on the species, they will grow 10-30 inches in height and will spread slowly by bulb offsets.

Because most of the learned horticulturists of that era were from the cold New England states, that claim makes sense, but today we know they are reliably hardy to at least zero degrees Fahrenheit. Pineapple lilies come from the wettest parts of South Africa, including areas that receive abundant summertime rainfall.

In the early spring, carefully dig up the entire clump. Wash the soil off with a hose and break them apart or use a sharp knife to separate them. Replant the bulbs at the same depth as the original plant. Note that some cultivars of pineapple lily are protected by a plant patent and may not be propagated in any form.

A “complicated” relationship status.

The prickly but sweet 🍍 signifies a “complicated” relationship, but this fruit-filled code has many other ingredients in the mix: : Single. 🍎: Engaged. 🍒: Committed relationship. 🍋: Single and loving it.

What does pineapple mean in slang? ›

It has various meanings, the most common uses for pineapple is to replace the phrase, "That's what she said." The site explains that the phrase is used as “a code word in order to avoid alerting unwanted participants amid conversation.” The word pineapple can also be used to depict monetary value in Australia.

Eucomis is a summer-blooming bulb with unusual flowers that inspired its common name: pineapple lily. Depending on the cultivar, the long, strappy leaves may be green or burgundy. The stems are sometimes freckled with purple.

The general rule of thumb for planting spring bulbs is to plant two to three times as deep as the bulbs is tall. This means most large bulbs like our Bulb-Zilla lilies will be planted about 6 inches deep while smaller bulbs will be planted 3-4 inches deep.

First, remove any excess fruit and remove a few of the lower leaves. This should expose the pre-formed roots. Plant the crown 3 to 4 inches deep in a well-drained container with good potting soil. You can also start a new pineapple plant by planting a pup or by transplanting a ratoon.

Pink Magic Lily (Lycoris squamigera) Planting Advice:

Plant 4-6" deep with spacing of 9" Mark where the bulbs were planted since the leaves appear first and the blooms appear months later.

The bloom spikes start opening from their bottoms up, and they take their time doing it — normally over a month. Even as cut creations for indoor arrangements, this extended flower power remains, but do remember to change the vase water weekly. Native to South Africa, pineapple lily is still hardy in our area.