Description:
Agapanthus are clump forming semi-deciduous perennial with strap-like leaves and clusters of tubular flowers that form on tall flowering stalks.
Other names:
Blue Lily, African Lily, or Lily of the Nile
August to February
The best Agapanthus fertilizers will be fairly balanced, such as 10-10-10 or 5-5-5, or slightly higher in phosphorus than nitrogen. Use a water-soluble fertiliser every two to three weeks in the spring and early summer.
January to June
Use pruners or garden shears to remove the faded flower and stalk at the base of the plant.
Agapanthus can become weedy. To prevent this, you can remove the blooms before they have time to develop seed heads and distribute seeds in the wind. Remove dead and unsightly growth by gently tugging on the dead leaves, though regular pruning is not necessary.
Grown easily in any well drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7 but prefers humus-rich moist soil with good drainage. Can be grown in chalk, clay, loam, or sand.
Though Agapanthus are drought tolerant, they will flourish if watered deeply once a week during spring and summer (twice a week if the weather is very hot and dry).
September to February
Lift and divide evergreen varieties once every four years to encourage maximum flowering. Also see feeding.
The best time to lift and divide agapanthus is late March after they have finished flowering. Agapanthus Praecox should be divided once every four years.
As a bonus, regular division of agapanthus clumps ensures that your plants continue to flower well. Use a garden fork to prise agapanthus clumps out of the soil. Divide the clump into three pieces using the sharp end of a garden spade. Discard the central piece and replant the two outside pieces after cutting back the foliage by half and trimming the roots to two thirds of their length. Replant in well composted soil and water well.
Brown marks on the unopened flowers are a sign of botrytis rot, a fungal disease. Botrytis can be treated by spraying the buds with fungicide before and after they have opened.
Die-back of the leaves from the tip to the base can be caused by a fungus known as Macrophoma agapanthii. This fungus can be treated by spraying the entire plant with fungicide.
Snails love to shelter in the leaves of agapanthus plants. Fortunately, they don’t cause much damage to the plants and are best dealt with by picking them off by hand when you spot them.
Yellow leaf tips indicate overwatering or waterlogged soil. You can rectify this by adding extra organic matter, like compost or bark chips, to the soil.