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Agapanthus praecox
Amaryllidaceae FAMILY

Agapanthus praecox

Agapanthus praecox

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

Agapanthus is suspected of causing haemolytic poisoning in humans, and the sap causes severe ulceration of the mouth[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Bulb
Growth—

Agapanthus praecox is found mainly in the subtropical zone of Africa, just moving into the tropics. In the temperate zone it only really succeeds in the milder regions, and even then is likely to require extra protection, such as a mulch, in winter[2]. Succeeds in most soils[3] but it prefers a light very well-drained porous soil with plenty of leaf-mould[2]. Requires plenty of moisture during the growing season but it needs to be kept dry in the winter[4, 2]. Another report says that it is drought resistant once established[5]. It only flowers freely if it is in a very sunny position[3]. Plants succeed in maritime gardens[6]. The rhizomes are best planted only just below soil level - a mulch of gravel or stone chips will help to keep the crown of the plant free from excess moisture[7]. Plants flower more freely in nature in the year following a bush fire[7]. Hybridizes very freely with other members of this genus - some botanists say there is only one very variable species of Agapanthus[2]. Plants respond very well to division, usually flowering very freely in the year after division[1]. It is recommended that plants are divided about every 4 years[1]. Plants are usually pest and disease-free, although Agapanthus species in general are famous for harbouring snails amongst their foliage. These snails do not usually cause any damage to the plants themselves but go to neighbouring plants for food[1]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[6]. The flowering stems lean towards the sun[3].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe[2], it can also be sown in a greenhouse in early to mid spring[8]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 18°c[8], do not sow it too thickly so that it is possible to grow the seedlings on in their pot without disturbing them for their first year of growth. Give occasional liquid feeds to make sure they do not become nutrient deficient. Divide the seedlings up into individual pots in the spring following germination, grow them on for a further year in the greenhouse and then plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Seedlings take 2 - 3 years to flower[8]. Division of offsets in mid spring. Do not move plants between early autumn and early spring[3]. Division is very easy in the growing season, the divisions can be planed straight out into their permanent positions if required. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Agapanthus+praecox>

Pollinators

Bees

References

  1. [1]PlantZAfrica.com — http://www.plantzafrica.com ↩︎An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
  2. [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  3. [3]Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') — Bird. R. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1991 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Corydalis spp.
  4. [4]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  5. [5]The Dry Garden. — Chatto. B. · Dent · 1982 · ISBN 0460045512 ↩︎A good list of drought resistant plants with details on how to grow them.
  6. [6]Perennial Garden Plants — Thomas. G. S. · J. M. Dent & Sons, London. · 1990 · ISBN 0 460 86048 8 ↩︎A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
  7. [7]The Color Encyclopedia of Cape Bulbs — Manning. J. Goldblatt. P. & Snijman. D. · Timber Press, Oregon. · 2002 · ISBN 0-88192-547-0 ↩︎Excellent treatment of these plants, with good descriptions, habitat etc. Lots of high quality colour photographs.
  8. [8]Growing from Seed. Volume 1. — Rice. G. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1987 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.
  9. [9]Plants for Human Consumption. — Kunkel. G. · Koeltz Scientific Books · 1984 · ISBN 3874292169 ↩︎An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
  10. [10]A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. — Usher. G. · Constable · 1974 · ISBN 0094579202 ↩︎Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.