Agapanthus and how to care for them

We have a new batch of Agapanthus that are now flowering and they look amazing. These South African perennial plants are very simple to grow, and they easily make one of the boldest star attractions in any garden.

Agapanthus come as evergreen or deciduous. The deciduous varieties die back in winter and are the hardiest, while the evergreen forms are more tender and may need protection in winter.

Agapanthus is the “flower of love” derived from the Greek words agape (love) and anthos (flower). It is also known as the African Lily or the Lily of the Nile.

All Agapanthus want full sun and well-drained soil.  They will grow in fairly poor soil and can take coastal exposure. They can tolerate some shade, but the sunnier the better! The hardier Agapanthus are good in a border but they also grow very happily in pots. Pots are a perfect solution if your garden soil is heavy clay or prone to waterlogging, and are ideal for the tender evergreen ones as they can be moved to somewhere sheltered during the winter.

To get the best flowering in pots, they need to have their roots restricted but be well-watered and fed. Avoid planting them in pots that are too big and use a soil-based compost like Sylvagrow Multi-purpose Compost with added John Innes.

Keep your Agapanthus well-watered all through the growing season, especially if they are newly planted. If they are in pots, you can feed them with a high potassium fertiliser, like tomato feed, to prolong flowering.

When they have finished flowering, cut back the flowering stems all the way to the base to encourage new flowers.

Our newest varieties include the dark and dramatic ‘Midnight Sky’, the elegant ‘Emerald Ice’, the dazzling ‘Fireworks’. These are all evergreen. We also have deciduous varieties such as ‘Twister’, ‘Purple Star’ and ‘Intermedia’.