Agapanthus

Plant Characteristics

Lifespan:	⌛	perennial

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	sun, part-sun
Water:	◍	moist, moderate, dry
Sunset Zones:		vary by species

Scientific Names

Alliaceae >

Agapanthus >

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Agapanthus is a genus of herbaceous perennials that mostly bloom in summer. The leaves are basal and curved, linear, and up to 60 cm in long. They are arranged in two rows.

The inflorescence is a pseudo-umbel subtended by two large bracts at the apex of a long, erect scape, up to 2 m ft tall. They have funnel-shaped flowers, in hues of blue to purple, shading to white. Some hybrids and cultivars have colors not found in wild plants. The ovary is superior. The style is hollow. Agapanthus does not have the distinctive chemistry of Alliaceae.

Read about Agapanthus in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Agapanthus (agape, love, and anthos, flower). Liliaceae. Conservatory plants, with tuberous rootstocks, blooming from late spring to fall, but mostly in summer. Plant robust and tall (dwarf forms): scape simple, fls. in 2-bracted umbels, in shades of blue and varying to white; perianth with 6 wide-spreading divisions, nearly regular; stamens 6: pod many-seeded; seeds flat, above: foliage usually evergreen, but vanishing early in some of the forms. S. Afr.—Probably only one species, although several have been described. In this country, agapanthuses are usually grown in tubs (the roots are likely to burst pots), and are flowered in summer in the conservatory, window-garden, living room, or set in protected places in the open. The plant is kept dormant during winter, as in a frame or light cellar, only enough life being maintained to prevent the leaves from falling. When in bloom, give abundance of water. Plants will bloom many years if given a large enough tub, not allowed to become overcrowded in the tub, and supplied with manure-water, sending up many clusters each year. Good results can also be obtained in single pots. It forces well. If kept dormant until spring, plants may be bedded in the open, or massed in vases, for summer bloom.—Propagation is effected by dividing the roots (and rarely by seeds). Old roots break up more easily if soaked in water a few hours. When dormant, the plant will stand a few degrees —usually 10° or less— of frost. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Strap shaped leaves look like a fountain. Flower spikes rise on a stem, with a sphere of flowers on top during summer.

Cultivation

Agapanthus calendar?
January:
February:	sow
March:	sow
April:	divide
May:	transplant
June:
July:	flowering
August:	flowering
September:	flowering
October:
November:
December:
Notes:

Agapanthus africanus can be grown within USDA plant hardiness zones 9 to 11. In lower-numbered zones, the bulbs should be placed deeper in the soil and mulched well in the fall. They can also be dug up and stored indoors during the winter.

Several hundred cultivars and hybrids are cultivated as garden and landscape plants. Several are winter-hardy to USDA Zone 7.

Propagation

Division of bulbs or by seeds. Seeds of most varieties are fertile. Divide once every 5 years^sn.

Species

Zonneveld & Duncan (2003) classified Agapanthus into six species (A. africanus, A. campanulatus, A. caulescens, A. coddii, A. inapertus, A. praecox). Four additional taxa recognised by Leighton (1965) as species (A. comptonii, A. dyeri, A. nutans, A. walshii) are given status below species rank by Zonneveld & Duncan.

• Agapanthus africanus (syn. A. umbellatus; African Lily or African Tulip)
• Agapanthus campanulatus (African bluebell, African Blue lily or Bell Agapanthus)
• Agapanthus caulescens
• Agapanthus coddii (Codd's Agapanthus or Blue Lily)
• Agapanthus comptonii
• Agapanthus dyeri
• Agapanthus 'Headbourne Hybrids'
• Agapanthus inapertus (Drakensberg Agapanthus or Drooping Agapanthus)
• Agapanthus nutans
• Agapanthus orientalis
• Agapanthus 'Peter Pan' (dwarf)
• Agapanthus praecox (Common Agapanthus, Blue Lily, African Lily, or Lily of the Nile)
• Agapanthus walshii

References

• w:Agapanthus. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Agapanthus QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)
• Manual of Gardening, a Practical Guide to the Making of Home Grounds, L. H. Bailey