African Lily flowers

African Lily flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

African Lily flowers

African Lily flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Lily of the Nile

Description:

This variety produces a mound of luxurious narrow green foliage; lovely light blue and white flowers appear in late spring to early summer on sturdy stems; a perfect accent plant in the garden or massed along borders

Ornamental Features

African Lily features bold clusters of white trumpet-shaped flowers with sky blue stripes rising above the foliage from late spring to early summer, which emerge from distinctive lavender flower buds. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its narrow leaves remain dark green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

African Lily is an herbaceous annual with a rigidly upright and towering form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

African Lily is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

African Lily will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

African Lily is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.