My Favorite Plant in the Garden This Week...

Is Eucomis comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy.' I have this plant growing in two places in my garden -- in the new front bed, where it springs up from amongst a clump of Sedum 'Angelina,' and in the gravel garden, where I have a pair of plants that have been growing for a couple of years, now well-established and getting bigger every year. Strangely, a second pair planted in the gravel garden only 6 feet away disappeared after our harsh winter. (Fortunately, they left me a bare spot where I planted a cactus and an Agave.)

Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgundy' in the gravel garden (Please ignore the weeds)

Not quite flowering yet, but close

It wasn't hard to decide what to choose for a weekly favorite. They are the best-looking plants in my heat- and drought-stressed garden. So I picked them despite the fact that they aren't actually flowering yet.

I'm glad I did, and I'm glad I went out to photograph them when I did. When I stepped over to the new front bed to take photos, I saw this:

 

What a beauty!

Surrounded by lilies, Sedum 'Angelina' and Nasturtiums

I have three growing in the front bed, the third is to the far upper left.

Another view of those same two

It's not hard to see why they're called Pineapple Lily.

 

Here's some info about Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgundy.'

Zone: 6b-9b
Height: 1-3 feet
Width: 1-3 feet
Light Requirements: Full Sun
Water Needs: Medium moisture

From Plant Delights Nursery: "We selected this dramatic, purple-foliaged pineapple lily as a seedling in 1983, and it has now become one of the most talked-about plants in our garden. This dramatic accent plant produces strap-like foliage of dark burgundy forming a rosette to 24" wide. In late summer, the clump produces a 20" tall bloom stalk resembling a miniature purple pineapple...very cool! Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgundy' is very easy to grow and tolerates a wide range of garden abuses. In cooler climates, it makes a great color-bowl combo plant!"

They're right about the garden abuses -- the ones in my gravel garden have only been watered once since our summer drought began. I don't remember where I got the two well-established ones in the gravel garden, but the three new ones came from The Lily Pad in Olympia, WA. and they have been watered daily. (Once the new front garden is well-established, the watering there will also taper off).

Loree at Danger Garden hosts The Favorite Plant in the Garden meme. Check out the links in the comments of her post here to find other garden bloggers who are sharing info about their favorite plant this week.