The Agapanthus Africanus is a fairly common flower in many gardens, they are low maintenance and produce beautiful flowers. It tends to grow a lot of leaves, and it can certainly spread out quite a bit, so it is not ideal for small gardens. With that being said the Agapanthus Africanus is an excellent centerpiece plant, and if you love the color of its flowers and the shape of its leaves then I highly recommend it.
Characteristics: Perennial Bulb
Hardiness Zone: Zones 8-10
Sun Requirements: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Water Requirements: Moderate
Drought Tolerance: Somewhat
Height And Spread: Height 12-36 inches ( 30-92 cm ), Spread 24-48 inches ( 60-121 cm )
Flowering Period: June-July
Planting: Easy
Staking: No
Deadheading: No
Propagation: Dividing bulbs, Seeds
Self Seeding: Yes
Deer Tolerance: Yes
Rabbit Tolerance: Yes
Toxicity: Highly
Pests: Mealybugs, Thrips, Gnats, Spider Mites
Diseases: Leaf Spot, Powdery Mildew, Gray Mold, Anthracnose, Root Rot, Bulb Rot
Indoor Care: Easy
Soil Needs And Ph: Well Draining, Loam, Sand, Chalk, Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Invasive: Yes
Pots And Containers: Yes
My personal recommendation is to grow some Agapanthus Africanus from seeds as well Click here to check it out on Amazon.com
The Agapanthus Africanus is also known as African Lily, Agapanthus Minor, Agapanthus Umbellatus, and Lily Of The Nile. This plant is native to South Africa, it needs full sun in order to thrive but if you live in the southern parts of the country then you should really plant it in partial shade. The Agapanthus Africanus can be grown with Easter Lilies as well, for more information check out my recent article Companion Plants For Easter Lilies ( Top 45 ).
Agapanthus Africanus Characteristics
The Agapanthus Africanus is a perennial bulb, which means that it will come back every year. Although it is a relatively drought-tolerant plant, it really needs a well-draining soil in order to thrive. One thing to keep in mind with this plant is that it grows a lot of elves, especially as the plant matures, these leaves are for the most part evergreen but in areas outside its recommended hardiness the leaves will die back, so make sure you like the look of the leaves as you will be staring at them for a long time until it flowers. Another plant that goes extremely well with Agapanthus Africanus are Alliums, for more information check out my recent article Allium Mount Everest ( Allium Stipitatum Mount Everest ).
Agapanthus Africanus Hardiness Zone
The hardiness zone for the Agapanthus Africanus is between Zones 8-10, this means that it is considered a perennial bulb in this area and you can leave it in the garden during the winter. If you are outside Zones 8-10, then you can still grow the Agapanthus Africanus but as an annual plant, which means that you dig up the bulbs in the autumn and store the bulb indoors during the winter, in the spring you can replant them.
Agapanthus Africanus Sun Requierments
For the most part, the Agapanthus Africanus needs full sun, but it will also grow in partial shade as well. In the southern parts of the country, you should plant it in partial shade, and in the northern parts of the country, you should plant in full sun. If you are not sure what is the best location in your garden, then just plant it in a pot and move it around to see where it grows the best.
Agapanthus Africanus Water Requierments
The water requirements for the Agapanthus Africanus are moderate, basically just water it like you do all your plants. Once the plant starts to get bigger, it will need more water especially if you are also using some kind of fertilizer.
Agapanthus Africanus Drought Tolerance
The Agapanthus Africanus is somewhat drought tolerant as it is native to South Africa, with that being said the ones sold in stores are grown in ideal conditions. Even though the plant is somewhat drought tolerant you will notice fairly quickly when the plant gets stressed out due to the lack of water, most commonly the leaves and even the flower will start to wilt.
Agapanthus Africanus Height And Spread
The height of the Agapanthus Africanus is around 12-36 inches ( 30-92 cm ), its spread is around 24-48 inches ( 60-121 cm ). The older the plant is the wider its spread will be, it can easily outgrow a small garden so plan ahead accordingly.
Agapanthus Africanus Flowering Period
The Agapanthus Africanus tends to flower between the months of June and July. However, the blooming period mostly depends on where you actually live, and how mature the plant is.
Agapanthus Africanus Planting
Planting the Agapanthus Africanus is extremely easy, just dig a hole 3 times deeper than the bulb and once you have placed the bulb inside the hole make sure to cover it with some compost or mulch. The ideal period to plant is in autumn, but only if you live in its specific hardiness zones. If the Agapanthus Africanus is not hardy in your zone then you have to plant it in the spring a couple of weeks after the last frost date. If you want to know what happens if you plant the bulbs too early then check out my recent article What Happens If You Plant Bulbs Too Early ( August – September ).
Agapanthus Africanus Staking
For the most part, the Agapanthus Africanus doesn’t need a stake in order to stay upright, the stem of the plant is fairly strong and the flowers are not that heavy. On the other hand, if the plant is rather young, there is a constant wind blowing or the plant is sick then you should definitely stake it before it flops.
Agapanthus Africanus Propagtion
Generally speaking, the Agapanthus Africanus is propagated by dividing bulbs, or rhizomes. Let your plant in the ground for a couple of years, this way the bulb will have enough time to divide. On the other hand, you can always collect its seeds, although it will take a couple of years until the seedlings are mature enough to flower but if you do not want to divide the bulbs then this is your best option.
Agapanthus Africanus Self Seeding
The Agapanthus Africanus tends to self-seed quite aggressively in areas where the soil and the climate conditions are ideal. You can simply nip off the flower before it starts producing seed pods if you want to stop it from producing seeds.
Agapanthus Africanus Deer Tolerance
For the most part, deer will stay away from this plant, in rare cases, they might nibble the flower which won’t do any harm to the plant.
Agapanthus Africanus Rabbit Tolerance
Rabbits will also stay away from the Agapanthus Africanus, especially once the plant is mature.
Agapanthus Africanus Toxicity
The Agapanthus Africanus is not that toxic as some other perennial bulbs are, it won’t outright kill you but it might cause painful blisters. If you have small pets or children who tend to dig in the garden and eat everything then you really have to avoid any kind of bulb plants as most of them are highly toxic.
Agapanthus Africanus Pests
The Agapanthus Africanus has a couple of common pests, like mealybugs, thrips, gnats, and spider mites. So if you have any of these in your garden then they will definitely go for the Agapanthus Africanus as well. On the other hand, you can easily spray these pests down or use neem oil to get rid of them.
Agapanthus Africanus Diseases
The Agapanthus Africanus is prone to several diseases like leaf spot, powdery mildew, gray mold, anthracnose, root, and bulb rot. The most common ones are powdery mildew and root rot which oftentimes can occur at the same time, so make sure to water the plant from below and only if the soil is dry.
Agapanthus Africanus Indoor Care
The Agapanthus Africanus can also be kept indoors, however, you will need to place the pot next to a window that gets plenty of direct sunlight. As this is an evergreen plant you will enjoy it even in the middle of the winter if you keep it indoors.
Agapanthus Africanus Soil Needs And Ph
The Agapanthus Africanus tend to grow best in well-draining and moist soil, it can grow in clay soil as well but you have to make sure that the soil is not compacted and the bulb isn’t sitting in water all day. It can be grown in neutral, acid, or alkaline soil.
Is The Agapanthus Africanus Invasive?
The Agapanthus Africanus is considered to be invasive in many areas, so make sure to check if they are considered to be invasive in your area before heading out and buying one. As I have mentioned before it tends to self-seed relatively easily if you are not on top of it.
Can The Agapanthus Africanus Be Grown In Pots And Containers?
Yes, the Agapanthus Africanus can be grown both in pots and in containers as well. Just keep in mind that this plant tends to have a relatively large spread, so make sure to use a large enough pot. In addition to this, you should use clay pots, as plastic or metal post tend to dry the soil out extremely fast which will harm the plant.
Can I Grow Agapanthus Africanus In My State?
Agapanthus Africanus can be grown in every state, it is hardy between zones 8-10 which means it is considered a perennial in these zones and you can leave them in the ground during the winter. If you live outside zones 8-10 then you have to treat them as annual plants, meaning that you should dig them up in autumn and replant them in the spring. If you do not know your hardiness zone then go to USDA Hardiness Zone.
| State | Hardiness Zone | Can I Grow It? |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7a to 9a | Yes, In Zone 8 |
| Alaska | 1a to 8b | Yes, In Zone 8 |
| Arizona | 4b to 10b | Yes In Zones 8-10 |
| Arkansas | 6b to 8a | Yes, In Zone 8 |
| California | 5a to 11b | Yes, In Zones 8-10 |
| Colorado | 3a to 7a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Connecticut | 5b to 7a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Delaware | 7a to 7b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Florida | 8 to 11 | Yes, In Zomes 8-10 |
| Georgia | 6a to 9a | Yes, In Zones 8-9 |
| Hawaii | 9a to 13a | Yes, In The Entire State |
| Idaho | 3 to 7 | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Illinois | 5a to 7a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Indiana | 5b to 6b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Iowa | 4b to 5b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Kansas | 5a to 6b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Idaho | 1a to 8b | Yes, In Zone 8 |
| Kentucky | 6a to 7a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Louisiana | 8 to 9 | Yes, In The Entire State |
| Idaho | 1a to 8b | Yes, In Zone 8 |
| Maine | 3 to 6 | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Maryland | 5b to 8a | Yes, In Zone 8 |
| Massachusetts | 5a to 7b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Michigan | 4a to 6b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Minnesota | 3a to 5a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Mississippi | 7b to 9a | Yes, In Zones 8-9 |
| Missouri | 5b to 7a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Montana | 3a to 6a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Nebraska | 4b to 5b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Nevada | 4a to 10a | Yes, In Zones 8-10 |
| New Hampshire | 3b to 6a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| New Jersey | 6a to 7b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| New Mexico | 4 to 9 | Yes, In Zones 8-9 |
| New York | 3b to 7b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| North Carolina | 5b to 8b | Yes, In Zone 8 |
| North Dakota | 2b to 6a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Ohio | 5b to 6b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Oklahoma | 6a to 8a | Yes, In Zone 8 |
| Oregon | 4b to 9b | Yes, In Zones 8-9 |
| Pennsylvania | 5b to 7a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Rhode Island | 5b to 7a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| South Carolina | 7a to 9a | Yes, In Zones 8-9 |
| South Dakota | 3b to 5b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Tennessee | 5b to 8a | Yes, In Zone 8 |
| Texas | 6a to 9b | Yes, In Zones 8-9 |
| Utah | 4a to 9a | Yes, In Zones 8-9 |
| Vermont | 3b to 5b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Virginia | 5a to 8a | Yes, In Zone 8 |
| Washington | 4a to 9a | Yes, In Zones 8-9 |
| West Virginia | 5a to 7a | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Wisconsin | 3b to 5b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
| Wyoming | 2a to 5b | Yes, As An Annual Plant |
Key Takeaways
- The Agapanthus Africanus is a perennial plant that is hardy in zones 8-10
- You can grow Agapanthus Africanus even if you are outside zones 8-10, but you will have to dig up the bulbs in autumn and replant them in spring.
- In certain areas, the Agapanthus Africanus is considered to be invasive, as it self seeds relatively aggressively.
