Mountain Pineapple Lily Plant Care

Mountain Pineapple Lily (Eucomis montana) belongs to the Asparagaceae family within the Eucomis genus. Mountain Pineapple Lily is native to South Africa and Eswatini (Swaziland).

Mountain Pineapple Lily displays a clumping, upright habit growth habit, reaching up to 2 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1.5 ft. Mountain Pineapple Lily produces showy spikes of star-shaped flowers in shades of white, green, or pink.

Leaf size: approximately 12 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Mountain Pineapple Lily every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Mountain Pineapple Lily thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Eucomis montana tolerates temperatures of 50–80°F. Mountain Pineapple Lily prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining, fertile soil with added compost or organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Mountain Pineapple Lily to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Mountain Pineapple Lily every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining, fertile soil with added compost or organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Mountain Pineapple Lily is suited to USDA Zone 12a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Mountain Pineapple Lily can spread to about 2 ft (0.5 m) and reach about 2 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 2 ft (0.5 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Mountain Pineapple Lily while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Mountain Pineapple Lily is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 12). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

Mountain Pineapple Lily can be propagated through offsets, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to pineapple lily plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Mountain Pineapple Lily is susceptible to aphids, slugs. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Mountain Pineapple Lily grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. Mountain Pineapple Lily is native to South Africa and Eswatini (Swaziland). In cooler regions, grow Mountain Pineapple Lily as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.