Pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy'
Eucomis comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy' · Asparagaceae
Broad, strap-shaped leaves of deep wine purple, then a thick spike of starry, pinkish flowers topped with a tuft of leaves, like a pineapple.
- Size
- 24 in tall, 18 in wide
- Zones
- 7 to 10
- Light
- Full sun to part sun
- Flowers
- Late July to early September
- Pets
- No toxicity recorded
- Job in a bed
- Specimen
A bed built around pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy'
The planner designed this bed around pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' when this page was made: a 12 × 6 ft (3.7 × 1.8 m) English border in zone 7, full sun. It chose the other plants from the 977 that suit those conditions, and says below why pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' stands where it does.
The plants
- 1 Moor grass 'Greenlee' × 7, tan
- 2 Cheddar pinks 'Tiny Rubies' × 29, pink
- 3 Brown-eyed Susan × 3, yellow
- 4 Purple coneflower × 3, purple
- 5 Dwarf English boxwood × 1, dark green leaves
- 6 Coneflower 'PowWow Wild Berry' × 3, pink
- 7 Pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' × 1, pink
- 8 Spring starflower × 10, blue
Why this plant
- The only bold leaves here. The rest are fine and medium. A change of leaf keeps plants distinct when nothing is in flower.
Why here
- In the middle. At 24 in it is the step between Cheddar pinks 'Tiny Rubies' (4 in) in front and purple coneflower (3 ft) behind: each is seen over the one before.
- One plant, alone. A feature plant is seen as an object, and needs clear ground around it.
- Bold leaf against fine. Cheddar pinks 'Tiny Rubies' is beside it: the strongest contrast of leaf there is.
Why now
- In flower for 7 weeks. From late July to early September.
- Fills no gap. Every week it is in flower, at least three other kinds are too. It thickens a season that is already full.
Planned as an English border: 6 of the 6 groups (100%) are drifts, longer along the bed than they are deep. Pink runs through the planting: 3 of the 7 kinds grown for their flowers have it. Cheddar pinks 'Tiny Rubies' is the plant there is most of: 29 of the 57.
The planner's own design check: 12 Excellent, 5 Good. It flags one thing to watch: Nothing on this plan is highly poisonous or an aggressive spreader.
Open this bed in the planner Change its size, the sun or the style, move plants about, or swap one for another.
Where pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' goes in a border
At 24 in it belongs in the middle of a bed. In the planner's ten height classes it is medium short (18 to 24 in).
Its job: specimen. A feature plant with a shape of its own. It stands alone with room around it, and repeats only at a distance.
Grown as much for the dark, glossy rosette as for the odd flower. The purple is strongest in spring and in full sun. A fine plant for a pot.
- Dark foliage with a tropical look
- Containers
- A late-summer curiosity
What to plant with pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy'
Plants recorded as good partners for it, and what each pairing does:
- Japanese forest grass 'Aureola': its chartreuse leaves are a setting for the flowers, before and after; grows up in time to hide its dying leaves; fine leaves against its bold ones.
- Crocosmia 'Lucifer': in flower together for four weeks, from late July; medium leaves against its bold ones; tall enough (3½ ft) to stand behind it.
- Coral bells: its burgundy leaves are a setting for the flowers, before and after; medium leaves against its bold ones; a low mound at the foot of its spires.
Questions about pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy'
Does pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' need sun or shade?
Pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).
It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.
What zones does pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' grow in?
USDA zones 7 to 10. It is hardy to zone 7, which means it survives winter nights down to about 10 °F (−12 °C).
Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.
When does pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' flower in my zone?
In zone 5 it flowers late July to early September. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.
| Zone 7 | Mid July to early September |
|---|---|
| Zone 8 | Mid July to early September |
| Zone 9 | Mid July to early September |
Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.
How far apart should pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' be planted?
16 in (40 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 18 in (45 cm), so a group knits into one patch.
It grows 24 in (60 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.
How many pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' plants do I need?
At 16 in apart, set out in staggered rows:
- 7 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
- 8 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
- 21 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own
In a mixed border, plant it as one, with clear ground around it: a feature plant is seen as an object, and a group of them is a thicket.
In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.
Is pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' poisonous to dogs and cats?
No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.
"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.
Is there a native plant like pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy'?
Pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' comes from East Cape Prov. to KwaZulu-Natal. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:
- Joe-Pye weed 'Baby Joe': the same flowering time and the same colour; a drift, not a specimen, 8 in taller.
- Rose turtlehead: the same colour; a drift, not a specimen, 8 in taller.
- Obedient plant 'Miss Manners': the same size and the same flowering time; a drift, not a specimen, white, not pink.
Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.
Do deer eat pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy'?
They may. NC State does not list it as resistant to deer or rabbits. Where they visit, protect it, or plant it among ones they avoid.
What can I plant to hide pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy''s leaves after it flowers?
A bulb's leaves have to be left to yellow for about six weeks after flowering, to feed next year's flowers. Plant it among perennials that come up late and spread wide, and they grow over the leaves as they fade:
- Peony: 3 ft tall and 3 ft wide, in flower late May to late June.
- Black-eyed Susan 'American Gold Rush': 24 in tall and 3 ft wide, in flower mid July to early October.
- Hosta 'Guacamole': 24 in tall and 4 ft wide, in flower early August to late August.
What does pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' look like in winter?
Pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' is underground: it dies back after flowering and waits as a bulb until spring. Mark where it is, so a fork does not find it first.
Is pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' good for bees and butterflies?
Pineapple lily 'Sparkling Burgundy' is visited by pollinators, bees and specialist bees.
More Eucomis
- Pineapple lily Eucomis comosa
In these guides
- Pet-safe plants for a sunny border
- Plants for bees
- Plants with spires: vertical accents
- Plants with purple and burgundy leaves
Every fact on record
- Type
- Bulb
- Size
- 24 in (60 cm) tall, 18 in (45 cm) wide
- Plant
- 16 in (40 cm) apart
- Height class
- Medium short (18 to 24 in)
- Place in the bed
- Middle
- Flowers
- Late July to early September; upright spires; pink, purple
- Leaves
- Bold texture, herbaceous; burgundy, purple
- Shape
- Upright, clumping
- Hardy in
- USDA zones 7 to 10
- Light
- Full sun, part sun
- Soil
- Rich, evenly moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Feeding
- Light, in spring
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Comes from
- East Cape Prov. to KwaZulu-Natal
- Attracts
- Pollinators, bees, specialist bees
Checked against NC State Extension. Flowering times are for zone 5: later in colder zones, earlier in warmer ones. Toxicity and spread information is a general gardening guide, not veterinary or medical advice, and invasive status varies by region. If a person or pet eats a plant, contact poison control or a vet. Check your local invasive species list before planting anything with a spread warning.