Agapanthus – Flowering plants

Agapanthus is Sometimes called lily of the Nile, agapanthus are extraordinary showy, garden flowers, They have tall stems with exotic looking blossoms in striking blue, mauve, white and pink, and coming to their peak in July & August. The plants can reach three feet tall and two feet wide, however dwarf forms are available. It looks great when planted in large groups in landscape beds, but it works equally well in containers.

Scientific Name: Agapanthus africanus
Common Name: Agapanthus, lily of the Nile.

How to grow and maintain Agapanthus:

Light:
Agapanthus thrives in full sunlight. If you don’t get many blossoms, move your plant to a sunnier area. Moving your plant outside for the summer will give it the daylight it needs.

Temperature:
Normal room temperatures 65-75°F/18-24°C. If you scoot your container to the patio or porch for the summer, don’t worry it can take the heat. But bring it back indoors when the temperature drops. These tender perennials will only tolerate temps as low as 50°F/10°C.

Soil:
Well-drained soils are needed to prevent root rot. Use a pot with drainage holes to prevent soggy soil.

Water:
Agapanthus plants are drought-tolerant, they bloom much better when the soil is kept moist during the summer months and into early autumn. Too much water during the winter will rot them.

Fertilizer:
Feed monthly in spring and summer with a high-potassium liquid fertilizer diluted by half.

Propagate:
It is easy to propagate by the division to acquire plants identical to the parent plant, this is best done between spring and early summer. Avoid splitting plants too often as this will reduce flowering. Large clumps in the border should be lifted in spring every 4 – 6 years and replanted.

Pests and diseases:
This plant does not suffer from any major pests or diseases.
An occasional mealy bug can be a problem, but a systemic insecticide normally offers a quick cure for these.