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Eucomis autumnalis ssp. autumnalis (Pineapple Lily) - Tropical-looking deciduous, summer growing bulb that forms a rosette of large broad soft textured undulating leaves that can be up to a foot long by 3 inches wide. In late summer into fall appear the nearly 2 foot tall dense cylindrical racemes or yellow-green flowers held on a stout stem and topped by a crown of leaf like bracts above the flowers. After flowers have faded they the inflorescence is still attractive and looks a bit like a pineapple.
Plant in full sun or partial sale and irrigate through the summer months. Although dormant in winter, they tolerate winter irrigation and rainfall in our climate and it is cold hardy to 20 °F. Makes a nice garden plant where it can be irrigated or plant in a nice large container.
Eucomis autumnalis ssp. autumnalis occurs on mountain slopes, in open grassland and forest margins in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo Province, Zimbabwe and Malawi. The name for the genus comes from the Greek word 'eu' for "good" and 'kome' meaning "hair" in reference to the attractive flower heads. The specific epithet refers to its flowering and fruiting time. We received seed of this plant labeled Eucomis undulata from Santa Barbara plantmaster John Bleck (1933-2025) in 2020.
The information displayed on this page about Eucomis autumnalis ssp. autumnalis is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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