Google’s most asked questions about Agapanthus (African Lily)

Agapanthus has been traced back to a specific area in South Africa, the cliffs of the Cape of Good Hope! They would grow naturally here between rock crevices, adding bright colours to the landscape.

Overall though, this lovely plant is native to Southern Africa, particularly South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique.

Agapanthus are perennials! They will independently grow back each year to produce their recognisable trumpet-shaped flowers.

You will often find Agapanthus flowers in formal garden design. However, their globe-shaped blooms are charming in a cottages-style garden too.

Their versatile appearance means you could make wonderful use out of them in any garden space.

These plants are pretty straightforward when growing from seed. You can get them flowering within 2-3 years of planting, but it will be worth the wait.

Extract the seeds from the brown seedhead, they should come out easily. This is because the capsules will be starting to burst already. It is best to let the seed pod ripen on the plant, and you can identify this when they turn brown.

Sow the seeds in a tray indoors between February and March over peat-free compost, then cover the compost and seeds with sharp grit.

Germination can take up to 1 month after sowing your Agapanthus seeds. It is best to do this indoors, as you can keep the temperature consistently between 15 and 20 degrees Celcius (60-80 degrees Fahrenheit). This will help to speed up the growing process.

Aim to do this once the flowerheads have completely faded. This will likely be in mid-to-late September.

The seeds will likely be ready once the flower petals have started to fall off the plant. Remove the pods from the centre of the flower. Try to do this gently, as this will prevent your seeds from accidentally sowing on the ground.

Make sure you wait until the seed pod is completely ripened on the plant. You will know it has, because it will go completely brown.

Agapanthus will start to re-emerge in the spring months, once the winter frosts have faded. The spring weather will bring warmer soil, and more hours of daylight to encourage the plant to grow.

It is possible for Agapanthus to self-seed. If you leave the flowerheads and seed pods on the plant, there is a chance they will burst, and spread their seeds across your borders and flower beds.

Did you know?

Agapanthus, otherwise known as ‘Lily of the Nile’, is not actually a lily! It belongs to the same family as daffodils.

Yes, Agapanthus is pretty easy to grow. They are easiest to grow when done so by rhizomes.

A rhizome is just a stem full of energy that grows underground horizontally, producing new plant systems like shoots and roots.

Plant them in the spring either in pots, or directly into the garden. They prefer a sheltered position to offer some protection during the winter.

If you choose to grow it in a container, terracotta pots are ideal as this helps to keep the roots warm during the summer.

Feed Agapanthus in spring with a slow-releasing fertiliser, and water regularly during the growing season.

You need to feed Agapanthus in borders and containers slightly differently. For border plants use a balanced fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone. And for containers use a liquid feed and do this fortnightly until the plants begin to show colour.

Agapanthus should live for several years with a good health regime. Repot them every two years to give them more room to grow, if you are growing them in containers.

The smallest and Agapanthus will be, is approximately 20-60cm tall. At the taller end, Agapanthus ‘Inkspots’ can grow to a height of 1.5 metres.

Most varieties of Agapanthus flower for up to 6 weeks. There are some particularly special varieties that have been bred to flower for longer, up to 10-12 weeks starting in mid-July.

Agapanthus ‘Flower of Love’ is a specific variety bred to flower for 10-12 weeks!

Yes, they are, particularly honeybees. The purple shade of many Agapanthus varieties is especially attractive, as purple is the colour that bees can see better than any other shade.

They should be when grown in a sheltered position. The hardier varieties like Agapanthus ‘Windsor Grey’ have an RHS hardiness rating of 5, which can survive as cold as minus 15°C.

The more tender varieties, such as Agapanthus praecox ‘Albiflorus’ only have an RHS rating of 2, which won’t tolerate anything below freezing.

Agapanthus prefer to be planted in a sheltered spot to protect them from the cooler weather.

Their fleshy roots are particularly vulnerable to frost. So protect them with a layer of mulch, then remove this in spring as the growth starts again.

If you have an evergreen agapanthus (Agapanthus praecox and Agapanthus africanus) then use horticultural fleece to protect them.

If you buy an established plant from the garden centre, yes, your Agapanthus should flower the first year.

If you decide to sow from seed, you may have to wait 2 to 3 years for the Agapanthus to flower.

Agapanthus need regular watering during the growing period, so ensure the soil is moist between April and September. The soil needs to be well-drained so not to overwater the roots.

Agapanthus stalks tend to be quite rigid, so can support the flower heads well without support.

If your Agapanthus is quite top-heavy, I would suggest giving it some gentle support. Your local garden centre will have specific supports on which the flower head will rest.

Growing it against a wall for shelter may offer some support too.

They stand out well against a backdrop of ornamental grasses.

Lavender is another good option for a companion plant for Agapanthus. They both have similar growing requirements and will likely share purple blooms in common.

If you want to learn more about Lavender, I have done a Google’s Most Asked Questions on that beautiful plant as well!

Agapanthus have a long blooming period, starting in mid-summer rather than early summer.

However, it will bloom into early Autumn, so will keep up the colourful display for later into the year.

Yes, you can. I would suggest dividing them every 4 to 5 years, otherwise they crowd together underground, which can affect the flowering.

You can divide the clumps of Agapanthus into smaller clumps. Do this during the spring or early autumn. By doing it this way, you will have identical ‘clones’ of the first plant.

To divide them, lift the clump using a fork or spade and then cut the clump using a sharp large kitchen knife.

If you allow them to self-seed, yes, Agapanthus can spread.

As the seedheads burst the wind carries them around your garden, possibly to sections in which you are trying to grow something else.

Depending on the climate when your seedheads burst, they may not successfully self-seed. It may be a little too cold in the autumn for the seeds to develop fully.

You don’t have to! Slugs and snails don’t really like eating Agapanthus, so is a great option if you struggle with these pests in your garden.

So, plant them amongst your slug-vulnerable plants, as they may be slightly deterred by the Agapanthus.

Yes, Agapanthus contain a toxin called saponin which is poisonous to humans. It will cause a stomach upset if eaten, but only rarely causes severe toxicity.

Agapanthus are toxic to pets. Try to grow them in containers, out of reach for dogs or cats so they don’t get poorly.