What Is an Agapanthus?

Flowers

• Agapanthus flower best when they are crowded. In the ground, they will multiply and give a good show after about three years. Their preference for crowded roots makes them good container plants. Two common varieties are Storm Cloud, which produces blue flowers on 4-foot stems, and Midnight Blue, a dwarf form that grows to 18 inches with dark blue blooms. Agapanthus flower in late summer, July through September.

Care

• Plant agapanthus 1 inch deep in well-drained soil in full sun, except in USDA zones 10 and 11, where part shade is better. Agapanthus are drought tolerant once established, but water regularly the first year. Clean up dead foliage in late winter before new leaves emerge.

Division

• Wait until the bulbs have packed the pot or their plot before dividing, which takes about five years. Cut them apart so each section has a few roots, then replant. The plants won't bloom until the second year.

Winter

• Left in the ground and mulched, the bulbs will overwinter in USDA zone 7 and above. In colder zones, lift them in fall after frost has killed the foliage and store them indoors in vermiculite or peat moss in a cool, but not freezing, basement or garage. Replant in spring. Or leave them in their pots and move the pots into the storage area.