Perennial
African lily
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in July | Flowers in August | Flowers in September | |||||||||
| Plant | Plant in April | Plant in May | ||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in July | Looks good in August | Looks good in September |
Overview
Agapanthus sends up tall stems topped with rounded heads of blue, violet or white trumpets from midsummer, giving a holiday feel to patios and gravel gardens. The narrow-leaved deciduous kinds, often derived from Agapanthus campanulatus, die down in winter and cope with colder weather. Reliable choices include 'Navy Blue', 'Northern Star' and white 'Silver Moon', while compact 'Peter Pan' suits small pots. Broad-leaved evergreen kinds are more tender and best kept for mild coastal gardens.
Where to grow african lily
Sunshine is essential. A south-facing border, a sunny gravel garden or a large container on a patio all suit. In the ground, soil must drain well in winter; on heavy clay, use pots or a raised bed.
Planting
Plant in spring once the soil warms up, with the crown just below the surface. In pots, choose a container only slightly larger than the root ball and use loam-based compost with added grit; restricted roots encourage flowering.
Care through the year
Spring
Start feeding container plants every fortnight with a high-potash fertiliser once growth appears.
Summer
Water pots regularly and keep feeding until flowering ends. Cut flower stems for the vase or leave them for seed heads.
Autumn
Stop feeding. Mulch the crowns of plants in the ground with a dry mulch such as bark.
Winter
Move evergreen types in pots into a cool greenhouse or porch. Keep containers on the dry side.
Pruning
Cut faded flower stems at the base unless you want the seed heads. Remove dead leaves from deciduous kinds in late winter.
Propagation
Divide large clumps in spring using two forks or a spade; the roots are tough and fleshy. Seed is easy to sow but seedlings vary and take a few years to flower.
Common problems
Agapanthus gall midge, a relatively new pest in the UK, causes buds to swell, discolour and fail to open; remove and bin affected flower heads promptly. Slugs and snails damage young leaves. Too much shade, nitrogen-rich feed or frequent repotting can mean leaves but few flowers.
Guides to the problems most likely to affect african lily:
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in April and May. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.