Large rosettes of bright green or deep burgundy foliage, long spikes of tiny flowers in green, white, purple, brown, or pink, all topped with a crown of bracts giving the flower the look of a pineapple; this is the pineapple lily. Native to the grasslands, forests, and swamps of southern Africa, this tropical bulb belongs to the Asparagaceae family and is hardy in zone 8a (our zone!).

      An array of cultivars (‘Toffee’, ‘Tugela’ series, ‘Innocence’) grow at the base of the gingko screen along the parking lot as well as in the tropical garden. This funky flower has a scent not unlike boiled potatoes.