Any florist worth their snips is always on the lookout for striking flowers to make their work stand out from the crowd. As designers dedicated to local, we can sometimes miss the tropical vibes and funkiness that imports add to a design. But hold onto your pina coladas! There’s a new local jawn that totally screams exotic! Meet Eucomis, commonly called Pineapple Lily.
The Allure of Pineapple Lilies
Native to South Africa, pineapple lilies are named for their pineapple-like appearance, featuring a rosette of star-shaped flowers atop a tall, sturdy stalk. Available in a variety of colors, including white, green, pink, and purple, these blooms bring that tropical vibe to your local-forward arrangements. Presently at PFG we are carrying the purple. Show your appreciation for this bloom and our growers will happily grow all the colors for you next season!
3 Reasons Why Pineapple Lilies Are a Florist Favorite
- Exceptional Vase Life: Pineapple lilies boast a remarkable vase life, often lasting up to month in the vase! This longevity makes them an ideal choice for retail designs.
- Striking Aesthetic & Versatility: The unique structure of pineapple lilies, with their spike of tiny stars and lush tuft of leaves at the top, adds visual pizazz. Treat them as a line flower or a focal. Designer’s choice! Either way, they add both height and drama. Equally suited for modern centerpieces and romantic installs.
- Ease of Care: Pineapple lilies need no special treatment or conditioning. They prefer to be stored in just tap water, no preservatives. Using a preservative may actually diminish their vase life just a bit, BUT they’ll still outlive everything else in the design anyway. They are, thankfully, not sensitive to ethylene gas like other spike blooms. Since they are native to South Africa, they prefer to not get too chilly. Keep out of the cooler if you’ve got it set lower than 38F.
Design Tips
- No Foam: We’re always dubious about floral foam around here. But for those still working with it, it’s important to note that pineapple lily does not do well in foam.
- Use a Skewer: Much like amaryllis, pineapple lily has a hollow stem and a very heavy head of flowers. This means that sometimes the stem can buckle under the weight of its floral crown. Reinforce it by inserting a wooden skewer up through the hollow stem prior to placing it in a design.
As your favorite wholesaler, we’re very excited to offer pineapple lilies as part of our all-local lineup. These specialty blooms are sure to captivate your customers and add a unique flair to your creations.
Don’t forget to tag us when you use them in designs!