Eucomis bicolor 'White' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Eucomis bicolor 'White' — 17cm / 2L
Pineapple Lily

Eucomis bicolor 'White'

£13.99
Protect from hard frostSun-loving
Pot size
17cm / 2L £13.99

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Description

Eucomis bicolor 'White' is one of the most characterful bulbs you can add to a late-summer border. Better known as the pineapple lily or pineapple flower, it earns the name from its quirky bloom: a dense column of star-shaped flowers crowned with a leafy topknot of bracts, exactly like the fruit it's named after. This is the cool, greenish-white form of the species, a softer and more refined alternative to the purple-flushed wild type, and a real conversation piece among hardy exotics.

From a fleshy bulb emerges a rosette of broad, glossy, strap-like leaves, and by August a thick stem pushes up to carry the flower spike. The pale, almost porcelain blooms open over many weeks into early autumn, just as much of the garden is starting to fade, and the structural seed heads that follow extend the interest well into the season.

How and where to grow it

Like all eucomis, this is a sun-lover that hails from South Africa, so give it the warmest, most sheltered spot you have. It thrives in free-draining loam, sand or chalk and dislikes sitting wet, particularly over winter. Plant the bulb with its neck just below the surface, water generously through the growing season, then allow it to dry off as the foliage dies back.

  • Position: full sun, south or west-facing, sheltered from cold winds
  • Soil: any free-draining soil; avoid waterlogging
  • Size: around 30-45cm tall and wide in flower
  • Hardiness: borderline hardy; mulch deeply or lift and store frost-free in colder gardens

It is equally happy in a container, which makes overwintering simple in cooler regions, and looks superb on a patio or by a doorway where its sculptural form can be admired up close. Whether planted out or grown as eucomis bulbs in pots, it pairs beautifully with grasses, salvias and other exotic-looking perennials.

Every plant we send out is nursery-grown and carefully selected, so your pineapple lily arrives strong, healthy and ready to flower.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Pineapple Lily

Plant me in full sun and protect me when hard frost threatens.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Pineapple Lily

Eucomis bicolor 'White' needs full sun and moist but well-drained soil. It is half-hardy to around −5°C and needs protection from hard frost.

Good for

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Semi-Hardy (H3): down to around −5°C. Half-hardy; reliable in mild or coastal gardens, protect in colder areas.

Borderline hardy (RHS H3). Mulch deeply in mild gardens, or lift the bulbs and store frost-free. Read moreShow less

Borderline hardy (RHS H3). Mulch deeply in mild gardens, or lift the bulbs and store frost-free.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered
Full sun, sheltered. Read moreShow less

Full sun, sheltered.

Soil

ChalkLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Fertile, well-drained soil; excellent in large pots. Read moreShow less

Fertile, well-drained soil; excellent in large pots.

Watering

Water in growth and keep dry when dormant. Pineapple-like flower spikes in late summer. Read moreShow less

Water in growth and keep dry when dormant. Pineapple-like flower spikes in late summer.

Mature size

Height30–45 cm
Spread20–30 cm

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Aug–Sep · Green

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

Bulb dies back for winter. Remove the faded flower spike, let the leaves die down and clear the dead foliage, then mulch the crown to protect the dormant bulb.

Toxicity

Harmful if eaten; bulb and sap contain saponins that may cause mild stomach upset in people and pets.

Native range

South Africa

Family

Asparagaceae

Also known as

Eucomis bicolor 'White'

Genus

Eucomis
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Eucomis bicolor 'White' hardy enough to survive a UK winter?

It is borderline hardy in the UK (roughly RHS H3). In milder, sheltered gardens with free-draining soil it will overwinter outdoors if given a thick dry mulch over the dormant bulb. In colder or wetter areas it is safest to lift the bulbs in autumn and store them frost-free, or grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover.

Does it prefer sun or shade?

Full sun is best. A warm, sheltered position in free-draining soil produces the sturdiest stems and the most flowers. It will tolerate a little light shade but flowering is reduced.

How big does the pineapple lily get?

Expect a clump roughly 30-45cm tall when in flower, with a similar spread once established. The strap-like leaves form a rosette and the bloom spike, topped with its pineapple-like tuft of bracts, rises above the foliage in late summer.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes, it makes an excellent container plant and this is the easiest way to manage it in colder gardens. Use a loam-based, free-draining compost, plant the bulb with its neck just below the surface, water freely in growth and keep the pot dry and frost-free over winter.

Is it safe around pets and children?

Like most Eucomis, the bulb and sap contain saponins and are harmful if eaten, potentially causing mild stomach upset. Plant out of reach of curious pets and children and wash your hands after handling.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
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Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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