by Matt Gibson
consummate for sunny spots in garden beds and ideal for container , the agapanthus flower is a summertime blooming perennial . The South African aboriginal agapanthus is typically seen with globes of trumpet - shaped blossoms in bass shade of blue and purple , but there are some varieties with lighter shades , such as pink and white . The agapanthus , commonly referred to as the African Lily , Lily of the Nile , and Star of Bethlehem , is basically a tropical version of the common daylily . In regions with quick wintertime , this low - criminal maintenance perennial is a powerful blossom producer , popping out round after troll of beautiful peak throughout the summer and declivity .
There are many different varieties of agapanthus for gardeners to prefer from . There are some varieties that grow four , five , even eight feet improbable , while gnome cultivars sprout from one to two feet in elevation at most . Agapanthus work out well when found directly in garden bed and borders with adry mulch added to the territory during the winter months to help protect the root organization . The low - maintenance flower is a majuscule fit for containers as well , peculiarly in cold - winter climate , where it can be brought indoors or placed in a nursery during the freezes . Agapanthus is also an excellent stinger efflorescence with a long vase animation .
Warning : Agapanthus is poisonous if absorb and can cause stern tegument irritation frommerely meet it with bare mitt . gardener who choose to rise this toxic smasher , especially those with raw hide , should always wear out gloves and long - sleeved shirts when handling agapanthus plants . Plant in areas that are out of the reach of dear pets and small children .
Varieties of Agapanthus
There are quite a few dissimilar varieties of agapanthus for nurseryman to select from . Which one is correct for you ? Well , that may take a snatch of research , as the varieties vary greatly in hardiness , size , and colour . There are both deciduous and evergreen cultivars , some with sess - like foliation , others with thicker , bolder leaves . The more tender evergreen varieties prefer lots of piss all year long , while the deciduous motley enjoy teetotal winter and moist summers . Here are a few of our favorites .
‘ Peter Pan ’ Agapanthus : Hardy in zones 8 - 11 , this gnome agapanthus arise 12 inch high and produces flowers that look white from a aloofness but are in reality a very light shade of blue .
Agapanthus Africanus : The africanus cultivar is one of the more vulgar variety of agapanthus . The plant tops out at three feet tall and two feet wide , bring about bright blue flowers during the summer and tumble . It is fearless in zone 9 - 10 . This cultivar is the only lily of the Nile variety with a specific soil pH preference , so be sure to apply acidic soil when grow this multifariousness .
‘ Northern Star ’ Agapanthus : The northern star variety is hardy in zone 6 - 9 and boasts showy cluster of dark blue , star - forge efflorescence , mature two to three feet high and blossoming from mid to tardy summer .
‘ Headbourne Hybrids ’ Agapanthus : If the dwarf potpourri of agapanthus are the supporting role variant of the bloom , the Headbourne Hybrids are the show-stopper rendering . These eye - catching standouts mature at least four feet in altitude and produce mammoth clusters of vivacious violet - blue .
‘ Blueberry Cream ’ Agapanthus : Breeding novel variety has become an art class , and this mintage is a shining lesson of exciting newfangled color breakthroughs in the breeding community of interests . This arresting 60 - centimeter plant is the first fearless bicolor agapanthus , and its efflorescence erupt forth with multiple shades of stunning wild blue yonder .
‘ Arctic Star ’ Agapanthus : The very audacious arctic star hybrid is reckon to be thebest of the bloodless flush optionsof agapanthus for its large , pure clean flowerheads .
Growing Conditions for Agapanthus Flowers
Agapanthus prefers full sun to partial spectre and fertile , moist , well - drained , but H2O retentive soil . Most form ( all except for A. africanus , which prefers acidic soil ) are not particular about soil pH , so anywhere near to the neutral mountain range should sour . Also , as long as the soil is fertile and enfeeble well , the agapanthus plant life does n’t seem to care about the case of soil much either , as it get under one’s skin along very well in chalky , loamy , sandy , or clay - alike soil condition ..
How to Plant Agapanthus
In warm climate area , industrial plant agapanthus in fall or early winter . Evergreen multifariousness can be plant directly in the garden bed . Deciduous plant should probably be planted in container so that they can be land indoors during the winter . Agapanthus actually prefers to have its root restricted , so container are a with child place for agapanthus , and they will only outgrow them once every two years .
If planting seeds forthwith into garden bottom , dismiss the seeds two inches deep , and space each plant life out one to two foot apart . If grow from seed in containers , plant seeds two inch deep and water frequently . If planting cuttings in containers , employ a container that ’s about twice the size of it of the root electric light , and works with the crown just below the ground .
Aside from growing from seed , the other way to propagate agapanthus is by dividing . Too much division , however , will slacken down the industrial plant ’s power to blossom . horticulturist recommend only dividing big lump once every four to six years . If you are using container , allow the plants to outgrow their container a fleck before move to a larger container . After increasing container size two or three times , part the clump into four parts , and depart the operation over again using the original sizing of container .
Care for Agapanthus
care for the agapanthus flower , especially in warmer climate country , is incredibly well-to-do . Once establish , the industrial plant needs very little sustentation . The peak ’s few motive are deadheading , feeding , and protecting the plant from rough wintertime environments .
Deadhead the prime as they protrude to slice or droop to keep your flowers look their best and to promote new increment . If the plants are not deadheaded , the flower season shortens significantly , and the industrial plant will go to seed instead of producing more efflorescence .
In warmer climates , just before winter , habituate a dry mulch around the roots to protect them from the freeze . In cooler climate , bring container plants indoors for a few months and water only once per month .
crucial : Agapanthus really benefits from a in high spirits - potassium hydroxide fertilizer every two to three weeks from March to mid - September . If given a high nitrogen fertilizer or if not properly fed , the agapanthus will not flower .
Pruning Tips for Agapanthus
To deadhead agapanthus , expend pruners or simple garden shears to remove the wilted flower and the stalk at the base of the plant life . For deciduous variety , cut stem down to about four inches from the stain after blooming has ceased . Alternatively , if you want to keep the green foliage for the looks during the wintertime , postpone cutting back until early outpouring . There is no need to cut back evergreen varieties , but feel costless to trim off deadened or dying limbs or damaged areas as needed on either character .
Companion Planting with Agapanthus
The best associate plants are those that portion out the same temperature , grime , and sun preference . fortunately , there are plenty to prefer from when implant agapanthus . Some outstanding associate choices for larger multifariousness of agapanthus include day lily , iris diaphragm , and Allium . Dwarf variety make a lovely background for birds of paradise flowers or kangaroo hand . require to devote an integral garden bottom mainly to agapanthus ? sample adjoin it withalyssumanddianthus .
Garden Pests and Diseases of Agapanthus
Agapanthus works are generally complimentary from pests and diseases . slug and snail may adjudicate to take up abidance in the leaves of the plant , but they do n’t feed on it , so they are n’t really much of a job . Deer and cony leave behind the plant alone as well . old plants sometimes get infected with a computer virus that cause blotch across the leafage . However , the plants preserve to blossom if feed correctly , so the streak can ordinarily be ignored .
Agapanthus for Indoor Bouquets
Agapanthus flowers make excellent centerpieces for indoor arrangement . Their foresighted seven to 10 - day vase living makes them a great choice for abridge . you’re able to also dry the seed head teacher and use them in arrangements twelvemonth - round .
This TV is all over with grow and care program line for agapanthus :
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