how to prop. Pineapple Lily (Eucomis autumnalis)

Anyone have any luck propagating the seeds from the pineapple lily? I have tons of seeds, just not sure what is the best way to go, or is it so much work that it's easier to divide the bulbs?
Any ideas? Thanks!

begoniacrazii, although I've never tried it, I've heard that Eucomis is very easy to propagate from leaf cuttings, supposedly taking a whole leaf and cutting it in segments and sticking them in potting soil or vermiculite.

I did a flat of Eucomis about 2 months ago doing the leaf cuttings as my friend recommended. Much to my surprise they developed into new plants. One of my books mentions seed; 68-77F, cover (?), takes 14-28 days. I found the cuttings to be easy in a small greenhouse. One thing was trying to keep track which end was originally up.

I saw on a garden show an interview with a fellow from Plant Delights (sp?) and he said that they could never get true plants from the seeds. He went on to say they had even sent them to a cloning place and that didn't work very well. THEN they discovered how to do it. He said: cut off one long leaf and then cut it into 1-2" sections. Plant these sections in little pots and in ONE month, they make little plants.

Well, I got really excited and did just that. On July 8th. I am still waiting... I have pulled up a leaf cutting piece every now and then and they do have a bunch of tiny white clean roots. So something is going to happen. Someday!!!

Cool! That's good to know! I have a baggie full of seeds, but can also try the stem version too! Thanks !
Cheers!

I still have them in small pots and, as it it getting cold here in Atlanta - 30s at night suddenly - I brought them in yesterday. There is one tiny little green bud at the base of one of the leaf segments. About 1/8" diameter. But it shows there is something happening after nearly FOUR months. The other leaf segments look green and healthy so I expect they will continue also. I'll put them under lights for the winter and see what happens.

I do love to experiment with plants!

Great sterhill! I also did the same and it took a few months for new plantlets to show. The only problem I had was when I was preparing the cut leaves to keep track of which end was up and down for the cut segments. Some of the leaves died off, others died-down and started plantlets. The flat under the halied lamps are progressing faster than the ones in the open greenhouse. I used #1 liquid hormone but I think they would have been better with powder in retrospect.

OK - next phase. See thread above - cuttings started on July 8th, then I saw some progress the end of October and now in the latter part of December 2005 there is a great deal of growth on three of them but the other three - still healthy and green - are only showing tiny nubbins forming - see next pix

this is a pix of the other three. Just barely can see tiny growth - the spots on the backsides is dirt, not bugs!
ALL six were potted from leaf cutting on the same day.

This message was edited Dec 31, 2005 2:18 PM

Looks good sterhill. Mine are about the same. Some produced leaves right away while others just have a small plantlet and sit there. Maybe they'll start this spring.

Laurie,

It is very easy to propagate with leaves. I have the purple leaf one and created a bunch of new ones a few years ago with a couple of leaves. You can cut one leaf into several 2 inch sections and stick each one as mentioned. Keep moist and warm (summer would probably be better to do this). As already mentioned, whatever you do make sure you keep the orientation correct. You can mark each leaf with a magic marker with an arrow pointing from bottom to top at each cut so you won't stick it in upside down or cut the top horizontal and the bottom like a "V". I do this with sanseveria as well.

The daughter bulbs are doing better than the mothers and they all winter in the gound without any problem in the Atlanta area.

Butch

update - from cuttings taken on July 8th, 2005 to today March 3, 2006.