Eucomis vandermerwei
‘The Alpine Pineapple Lily’
Supplied in a 11cm pot

Eucomis vandermerwei is a small alpine Eucomis, rare in cultivation and endangered in the wild. This small alpine beauty has adapted to the high summer rainfall found in the Steenkampsberg- a high South African mountain plateau. The area is not only wet in summer but very cold and dry in winters, with hard frosts in late winter. Flowers in mid summer on short stems, topped with a pineapple like tuft. Individual star shaped flowers are purple to deep violet and edged with maroon.  The leaves are narrow, wavy at the edges and marked with speckles of purple.
This alpine Eucomis grows to no more than 15cm and with a spread of 15-20cm.
 
RHS guidance is that this alpine Eucomis is best grown in pots and given protection in winter or grown in raised well drained beds in gritty soil. Needs to be mulched well in winter or lifted and given winter protection under glass. HOWEVER… we have found that our seed grown plants seem to be much hardier, given adequate drainage and probably deserve a H4 rating easily.

Full Sun
Well drained but moist soil
RHS hardiness rating H3/ H4

Plants are supplied in a 11cm pot, with their compost and are similar to the plants seen in pictures 3 and 4 Picture 1 and 2  shows the flowers on a planted specimen and is not the plant for sale.

SUK:EUVA0891