About
A bulbous perennial producing a rosette of wavy-edged, strap-shaped, dark green leaves, heavily blotched with dark purple-red. The star-shaped, purple flowers are produced in late summer in cylindrical spikes 15cm high, with a cluster of purple-edged, dark green bracts at the top.
About the genus
Eucomis are bulbous perennials forming a large basal rosette of strap-shaped leaves, with an erect stem bearing a dense raceme of star-shaped flowers, topped by a crown of leafy bracts, opening in late summer and early autumn
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH3
Plant details
Plant typeBulbs, Conservatory Greenhouse
HabitTufted
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Patio and container plants, Rock garden, Sub-tropical
Native toN South Africa
Care notes
CultivationBest grown in very free-draining compost in a terracotta pot and taken under cover for winter or, in very mild areas, grow in a gravel bed or rockery. See eucomis cultivation
PruningNo pruning required
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in autumn or spring or remove offsets in spring
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free