Eucomis 'Cornwood'

Eucomis 'Cornwood' is one of the most striking of the summer-flowering pineapple lilies. A rosette-forming, bulbous perennial, it has arching, strap-shaped, light green leaves and, from August onwards, upright pale green stems carry dense clusters of cream-white flowers. Each flower has a purple-black centre. The blooms are scented too, and they may even be cut and stood in a vase of water indoors, where they last for weeks!

The cultivar name comes from Cornwood, the country estate near Dartmoor in Devon, where the plant was first raised and selected.  To get the best from this Eucomis, choose a spot in full sun, and on free-draining soil.  Growing from bulbs, Eucomis comosa 'Cornwood' may be left in the ground all year round—if you live in an area with mild winters. However, it would be advisable to apply a mulch in autumn, to protect the overwintering bulbs from frost. Alternatively, lift the bulbs in autumn and overwinter them in frost-free conditions. Pot grown plants should be kept dry in winter; keep them in an out-of-the-way corner of the garden, protected from the worst of the winter weather.