- CATEGORY : – AGAPANTHUS : – VARIETY : – “AFRICANUS (LILY OF THE NILE)”
- DESCRIPTION : – BRIGHT BLUE BLOOMS : – (BARE ROOT PERENNIALS SENT)
- TYPE : – BARE ROOT PERENNIAL : – HEIGHT : – 80-90 CM : – BLOOMS : – JULY-SEPTEMBER
- SIZE : – GRADE 1 : – QUANTITY PER UNIT : – 3
- PLEASE BE AWARE!! THE MAIN PICTURE IS A STOCK PHOTO ONLY AND SHOWS WHAT THE PLANT LOOKS LIKE WHEN FULLY MATURE
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
“AGAPANTHUS” IS A PERENNIAL FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA. THEY ARE GROWN FOR THEIR SUMMER DISPLAY OF SHOWY BRIGHT CLUSTERS OF BLUE OR WHITE ON TALL STEMS
THESE PERENNIALS HAVE ATTRACTIVE GREEN STRAP-LIKE FOLIAGE THAT GROWS FROM THICK, FLESHY RHIXOMES (UNDERGROUND STEMS) THE RHIZOMES SPREAD TO FORM DENSE CLUMPS. AN EXPLOSION OF DOME-SHAPED, UMBREL-LIKE CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS STAND TALL ATOP LEAFLESS STEMS. THE INDIVIDUAL FLOWERS, OR FLORETS, ARE SMALL TRUMPET-LIKE CLUSTERS. BEES POLLINATE THE FLOWERS AND SMALL SEED CAPSULES, WHICH TURN FROM GREEN TO BROWN. CUT SPENT STEMS BACK TO KEEP PLANTS LOOKING TIDY AND ENCOURAGE FURTHER BLOOM.
PROVIDE “LILY OF THE NILE” FULL TO PARTIAL SUN AND SOIL THAT IS FERTILE AND WELL DRIANED. FOR BEST FLOWERING WATER REGULARLY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS AND A LIQUID FEED IS BENEFICIAL. KEEP PLANTS DRIER THROUGH EARLY WINTER MONTHS. ESTABLISHED PLANTS WILL WITHSTAND SUBSTANTIAL PERIODS OF DROUGHT. SPECIMENS GROWN IN CONTAINERS OR GARDEN SPACES SHOULD BE DIVIDED REGULARLY AS CLUMPS TEND TO SPREAD VIGOROUSLY.
“LILY OF THE NILE” IS A WONDERFUL PLANT FOR POTS OR FLOWER BEDS. IF PLANTED IN POTS THEY WILL NEED TO BE BROUGHT INTO A GRENHOUSE IN WINTER, BUT IF YOU HAVE PUT THEM IN THE GROUND, THEY SHOULD BE HAPPY SIMPLY COVERED OVER WITH A LAYER OF MULCH FOR PROTECTION. TRY LEAVING THE DEAD FLOWER STALKS ON AS A WINTER DECORATION, THEY LOOK AMAZING DUSTED WITH FROST. IT IS QUITE CAREFREE PEST AND DISEASE PROBLEMS ARE FEW AND DEER DO NOT FEED ON IT. THE SHOWY UMBRELS MAKE DRAMATIC CUT FLOWERS.
“AGAPANTHUS AFRICANUS” HAS RECEIVED THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT (AGM) WHICH IS FOR PLANTS OF OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE.