Baby Blue African Agapanthus flowers

Baby Blue African Agapanthus flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Lily of the Nile, African Lily

Description:

This selection is one of the smallest, and most compact available ; lovely pale blue flower clusters appear in late summer on short stems, over mounds of bright green, strap-like foliage; perfect as an accent plant in the garden, or border fronts

Ornamental Features

Baby Blue African Agapanthus features dainty clusters of lavender trumpet-shaped flowers with creamy white centers rising above the foliage from late summer to early fall, which emerge from distinctive violet flower buds. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its narrow leaves remain green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Baby Blue African Agapanthus is an herbaceous annual with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. 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.

Baby Blue African Agapanthus is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Baby Blue African Agapanthus will grow to be about 8 inches tall at maturity extending to 16 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 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 is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Baby Blue African Agapanthus is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.