Flowering now at JLBG is the dwarf, highly threatened pineapple lily, Eucomis montana. In botanical terms, the word “montana” indicates from the mountains. This stunningly elegant pineapple lily species hails from the northern end of South Africa’s Drakensberg Mountains (Mpumalanga, Free State, and Swaziland), where it can be found growing in grasslands on rocky hillsides. Eucomis montana forms a non-offsetting rosette of thick, upright, heavily-spotted dorsal (on the bottom) leaves which are often edged in purple. The 15″ tall flower spikes, open for us in early July, as you can see below. Plant Delights offered this for six straight years, and sales were miserable. Consequently, we have several nice patches in the garden.
I love this plant in my garden. It adds texture and the wow factor.
So beautiful!