This attractive pineapple lily is putting on a show of pure white flower in the Mountains House.
The pineapple lilies take their common name from the crown of bracts on the apex of the inflorescence, and the name Eucomis comes from the Greek eukomos, meaning lovely-haired, in reference to this same feature. The genus belongs to the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), and contains approximately 15 species of perennial bulbs, all of which grow in South Africa or tropical southern Africa. Eucomis autumnalis occurs in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. It has a basal rosette of erect, slender leaves to 30cm in length, and a dense raceme of star-shaped flowers. It is a relatively easy bulb for pot cultivation if kept dry during winter, watered well in summer, and grown in frost-free conditions.