When choosing companion plants for Agapanthus you should focus on the flowering period, leaf structure, leaf color, and how wide the companion plants tend to spread. As Agapanthus plants are mostly hardy in zones 8-10 you should use companion plants that are also hardy in the same zones. If you do not live in zones 8-10 then you have a wider variety of companion plants to select for your Agapanthus plants.
Agapanthus make excellent companions for summer-flowering bulbs like crocosmia, galtonia, eucomis, and watsonia. They also create a striking visual contrast when planted alongside sedges or phormiums, such as ‘Yellow Wave’, and add an eye-catching element when placed among graceful ornamental grasses.
My personal recommendation is to use a wildflower seed mix as companion plants for your Agapanthus plants, here is one that contains both annuals and perennial flower seeds which means that you will have flowers in the first year of sowing them Click here to check it out on Amazon.com
One thing to keep in mind is that Agapanthus plants tend to grow a lot of leaves, especially if there is excess nitrogen in the soil. It takes around 2 years until they flower, and you should plant companion plants that flower in the first year, usually most of these will be annuals. On the other hand, perennial plants are also good companion plants for Agapanthus but you will have to wait a couple of years until all of them flower.
The Agapanthus tends to be somewhat of a bully in the garden, especially if paired with small shallow-rooted plants, or if planted in a small garden. If you want to know more about your Agapanthus then check out my recent article Agapanthus Africanus ( Lily Of The Nile, African Lily ).
Agapanthus Companion Plant
Agapanthus, also known as Lily of the Nile, can be complemented by various companion plants to create a visually appealing and harmonious garden. One excellent companion for Agapanthus is lavender (Lavandula). Both plants share similar growing requirements, such as full sun and well-drained soil. The vibrant purple flowers of lavender beautifully contrast with the blue or white blossoms of Agapanthus, creating a delightful color combination.
Another suitable companion is daylily (Hemerocallis), which offers a diverse range of flower colors and forms. Daylilies bloom at the same time as Agapanthus, extending the flowering season and providing additional visual interest. Other compatible plants include ornamental grasses, such as feather reed grass (Calamagrostis), which adds texture and movement to the garden, and perennial salvias (Salvia spp.), which provide a burst of color and attract pollinators.
Companion Bulbs For Agapanthus
Your first option when it comes to Agapanthus companions are other flowering bulbs. There is a massive selection of bulbs both on and offline, so you will definitely find one that you like. You should try to avoid bulbs that tend to need a lot of fertilizer in order to grow, as the excess fertilizer will be used by the Agapanthus for growing leaves and oftentimes they will skip flowering for an entire year if there is too much nitrogen in the soil.
In addition to this, you should avoid bulbs that tend to get powdery mildew, as Agapanthus plants are really prone to getting them. Alliums and lilies are ideal companions for Agapanthus if you want other flowers that have the same height.
- Lilies
- Alliums
- Ranunculus
- Iris
- Tulips
- Gladiolus
- Canna
- Crocus
- Hyacinths
Annual Companion Plants For Agapanthus
As Agapanthus plants tend to flower in the second year of planting, annual plants are ideal companions for them as you are guaranteed to get some beautiful flowers. The one thing to look out for when planting annual companion plants for Agapanthus is not to plant them too close to the Agapanthus. Agapanthus tends to grow its leaves really fast, and if you are not careful they will quickly grow over your annual plants.
Ideally, you should select the annual plants based on how deep their roots grow and not how they look once they have flowered. Annual plants with relatively shallow roots are ideal companions for Agapanthus because once you dig them up you do not risk damaging the Agapanthus plant. If your Agapanthus is not flowering then check out my recent article Why Is My Agapanthus Not Flowering? ( Top 9 Reasons ).
- Vinca
- Asters
- Zinnias
- Petunia
- Pansy
- Verbena
- Impatiens
Perennial Companion Plants For Agapanthus
If you like to plan for how your garden will look in the future and do not mind having fewer flowers in the first year then perennial plants are an extremely good combination for your Agapanthus plants. You are not only limited to flowering perennials but you can also choose tall grasses which contrast extremely well with Agapanthus plants. Ideally, you should use perennial plants that also thrive in full sun, as companion plants. If you want to plant Ranunculus with your Agaphantus and you are not sure if they are annual or perennial then check out my recent article Ranunculus Perennial Or Annual?.
- Rudbeckia
- Daylilies
- Artemisia
- Beebalm
- Penstemon
Companion Shrubs For Agapanthus
You have plenty of options when it comes to companion shrubs for Agapanthus, based on size, color, flowering period, and so on. With that being said, not all shrubs work well with Agapanthus plants, mostly because the Agapanthus plants tend to perform extremely badly if there is too much competition. Hydrangeas for example might look good in the company of Agapanthus, but they oftentimes tend to grow rather tall.
If you want a Hydrangea companion plant for your Agapanthus then my personal recommendation is to use the Hydrangea Bobo, as it tends to be relatively short. When planting shrubs with Agapanthus make sure to plant the Agapanthus in front of the shrub, no matter how tall the shrub actually gets, this way you will be able to see both of them all year round.
- Azalea
- Rhododendron
- Hydrangea
- Viburnum
Key Takeaways
- The companion plants for Agapanthus are the ones that contrast the Agapanthus, both in terms of flowers and foliage as well. For most of the year, you will be looking at the leaves of the Agapanthus, so sprinkling in a couple of companion plants that tend to flower for a long time is a good idea. Companion plants for Agapanthus can be bulbs, shrubs, annuals, and perennial plants.
- Make sure to use companion plants for Agapanthus that are hardy in the same zones.
- Agapanthus plants tend to grow a lot of leaves, and when planting companions you should try to contrast its leaves, rather than only its flowers.
- Tall stemmed plants like lilies and alliums are ideal companion plants as they tend to grow tall and have a small spread.
