Agapanthus (African Lily)
An Agapanthus, also known as African Lily, is a true sun lover. The plant is ideal for the balcony or terrace. But indoors in a bright spot, such as in the conservatory, you will also enjoy this ‘Love Flower’.
With the African Lily, you naturally create height differences in your garden. This plant easily reaches a height of 1 meter. During the flowering period, from July to August, you are treated to beautiful flower heads, often with more than 50 flowers. If the winter is cold, the African Lily is best overwintered indoors in a cold shed or garage where it barely or never freezes. The plant needs almost no water during this period.
The Agapanthus is available in both deciduous and evergreen varieties. The deciduous Agapanthus, a variety that is very suitable for the Dutch climate, can also remain outside during the winter period, unless it freezes hard. Besides deciduous Agapanthuses, there are also evergreen varieties, a well-known evergreen variety is Agapanthus africanus. The grower of this product is Martin van der Velden.
Did you know..
Agapanthus means ‘love’? The Latin word Agapanthus is derived from the Greek words “agape” which stands for love and “anthos” which means flower.
Caring for Agapanthus
What is the best care for your Agapanthus? The African Lily can truly be called a sun worshipper, so place it in a bright spot! In the summer, the African Lily loves water, sometimes even twice a week. Want to know everything about Agapanthus care? You can read all our care tips here. In short:
- Water once a week in the summer months and even twice during very nice and warm weather!
- Little to no water requirement in winter
- Needs food once a month
- Sunny location both indoors and outdoors
- Handles cold and heat well, enjoys temperatures between 0 – 22 °C
- Prune flowers and unsightly leaves after flowering
African lily care
Watering Agapanthus
Does an African Lily need a lot of water?
In the summer months, the African Lily needs water weekly, and during very nice and warm weather, give your Agapanthus some extra care by watering it twice a week. In the winter months, however, you hardly need to water the African Lily.
Care tip from the grower: Ensure the pot has a hole in it so that excess water can drain away. An Agapanthus does not like “wet feet”. So make sure the soil is not too wet.
Can Agapanthus tolerate drought?
Yes, Agapanthus can tolerate drought. But it’s not bad to skip watering for a week during its flowering period (July and August). Just don’t leave it dry for too long. In the winter period, the African Lily needs little to no water.
Best location for the Agapanthus
What is the best location for the African Lily? Can it be placed in full sun, indoors, and is it hardy?
Can the African Lily be in full sun?
Yes, Agapanthus is a plant that thrives in full sun. Just make sure you place it in a sheltered spot, as it doesn’t like cold breezes.
Can an Agapanthus be indoors?
An Agapanthus can also be placed indoors. Place it in a spot with plenty of light and space, such as a conservatory, and it will do well there.
Is Agapanthus hardy?
An African Lily can tolerate cold, but it is certainly not hardy. It can handle temperatures down to -5 °C well. However, we recommend bringing it indoors as soon as the temperature drops below freezing. If you have planted it in the garden, make sure to protect the African Lily well against the cold by covering it with, for example, straw or fleece.
Note, this only applies to a deciduous Agapanthus. An evergreen Agapanthus cannot tolerate frost at all.
Care tip from the grower: When you bring the African Lily indoors, place it in a spot where the temperature is between 2 – 8 °C to get through the winter well. Once the risk of moderate frost has passed, you can put it outside again.
Repotting your Agapanthus
You don’t need to repot the African Lily every year. When the plant becomes too large for the pot, it’s time to repot it into a larger pot.
How do you repot Agapanthus?
To repot the African Lily, carefully remove the plant from the old pot and place it in a new, larger pot. Then fill the pot with well-draining potting soil and water the Agapanthus after repotting.
Care tip from the grower: Ensure the pot has holes at the bottom. This way, the water can easily drain away, reducing the risk of root rot.
Can an Agapanthus be planted in the ground?
Yes, the deciduous Agapanthus can be planted in the ground. Make sure it’s in a sunny and sheltered spot. This sun worshipper doesn’t like cold.
How deep should you plant Agapanthus?
Plant the African Lily deep enough in the ground. Ensure the top of the root ball is about 2 cm below the ground level. Water it immediately after planting.
What feed do you use for the African Lily?
Do you want to enjoy your Agapanthus for a long time? Take good care of it by giving it the right feed. Give it enough water and fertilizer, and you will be rewarded with an abundance of beautiful flowers!
How often should I fertilize Agapanthus?
An African Lily needs at least two feedings during the growing season: once before flowering and once after flowering. If your Agapanthus is in nutrient-poor soil, feed it with an extra dose of fertilizer.
Is your Agapanthus in a pot? Give it some extra fertilizer as soon as you see the leaves start to emerge.
Care tip from the grower: use a fertilizer rich in phosphorus and potassium with low nitrogen content. Follow the instructions on the package for the correct dosage.
Is Agapanthus poisonous?
Yes, Agapanthus is poisonous. The sap of this plant is toxic and can cause skin irritation. We recommend wearing gloves when you prune or repot the African Lily.
We also often get asked if Agapanthus is poisonous to dogs and cats. Yes, the African Lily is also toxic to pets. So place it in a spot that is not easily accessible to your pet.
Do you need to prune an African Lily?
Yes, Agapanthus is a plant that needs some care. So don’t forget to prune it occasionally.
How and when to prune Agapanthus?
The African Lily should be pruned twice a year. The first time, in the spring, cut all the old leaves of the deciduous Agapanthus just above the ground. In summer, prune only the spent flower stems. Cut these flower stems also just above the ground.
Care tip from the grower: by removing the flower stems of your Agapanthus after flowering, you prevent seed formation and the African Lily can put all its energy into producing new flower stems. Cut the flower stems back completely to just above the ground so that the plant can concentrate on creating new flowers for the next blooming season.
Does the African Lily bloom?
Absolutely! When you take good care of your Agapanthus and give it a nice sunny spot, it will reward you with large quantities of flowers on its stems! A single flower stem can have more than 50 flowers. The flowering period of the African Lily is in the months of July and August.
What to do when Agapanthus has finished blooming?
When the African Lily has finished blooming, you can remove the spent flowers, including the stem, by cutting them off. Cut the stem just above the ground. Removing the spent flower stems promotes the growth and blooming of the other flower stems and also keeps the plant looking neat 😊
Is Agapanthus air purifying?
Yes, Agapanthus also has air-purifying properties. The African Lily is a moderately air-purifying plant and for this reason, this property is not as often mentioned as, for example, with the Spathiphyllum or other air-purifying plants.
Diseases and pests in the African Lily
If you give the deciduous Agapanthus the right care, do not overwater it, and do not place it in too humid a spot, your African Lily will not easily suffer from diseases and pests. But no matter how well you take care of your plant, it can always happen. What diseases and pests can occur in Agapanthus?
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is a fungus that looks like a white/gray powdery layer on the leaves of the African Lily. You can best combat powdery mildew by cutting off the affected parts and disposing of them.
Botrytis and Anthracnose
Other fungal infections that can affect Agapanthus are Botrytis and Anthracnose. Botrytis, the gray mold, is a fungal disease that occurs in plants. It thrives in warm and humid weather and spreads through wilted flowers. Prevent stagnant water and ensure air circulation. Carefully remove the affected parts and spray healthy parts with neem oil.
Anthracnose is a similar fungal disease that causes yellow or brown spots on leaves. Treat it the same way as gray mold.
Appearance of Agapanthus
Is your African Lily not doing as well as you expected? It can happen! Each plant has its unique needs, so care is not always straightforward. We have listed the most frequently asked questions for you below:
My Agapanthus has yellow spots, what should I do?
When your Agapanthus has yellow spots, it may indicate a viral disease. The only thing you can do is destroy the plant to prevent further infection.
Why are there red-brown spots on the leaves of my African Lily?
If your Agapanthus has red-brown spots, it may be due to leaf spot disease. Remove the affected leaves and treat your plant with a pesticide and water to prevent further infection.
Another possibility is that the plant suffers from Anthracnose. Then remove the affected parts and spray the healthy parts with neem oil. Read more about diseases and pests.
Why are the leaves of the Agapanthus turning yellow?
If the leaves of your Agapanthus turn yellow, it may be that the plant is not getting enough light. Place it in a spot with enough light, and the leaves will soon have a healthy color again.
Another possibility is that the plant suffers from Anthracnose. Then remove the affected parts and spray the healthy parts with neem oil. Read more about diseases and pests.
Why are there no flowers in my Agapanthus?
There can be various reasons why no flowers appear on your Agapanthus. The most common reasons are that it is in a spot with insufficient sunlight or that you have placed it in too warm a spot in winter. An African Lily needs cold to produce flowers. So ensure sufficient sunlight and the right winter conditions, and hopefully, your Agapanthus will start producing flowers.
Lifespan of the Agapanthus
The African Lily is a perennial plant. But what exactly does that mean? A perennial plant grows more than once during its lifetime and lasts longer than 2 years. These are plants that produce new stems, leaves, and flowers every year. Give your Agapanthus the best care, and you will enjoy it for years to come!
