Agapanthus
Agapanthus
Agapanthus blooms from June through August.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Agapanthus
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 7–11. Expect it to reach about 2.6 ft tall and 1.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Agapanthus
Agapanthus is tender: plant it out after the last frost, once the soil has warmed. In the middle of its hardy zones 7 to 11 range that means March or April; where spring comes later, it goes out later. Expect flowers from June to August.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 8 in March.
Comes in 6 varieties across 2 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Agapanthus
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
The sap irritates skin, eyes and mouth (bitter steroidal saponins), and chewing causes vomiting and drooling in pets. It is not a true lily and causes no kidney failure. per Pet Poison Helpline and North Carolina
Worth knowing
Agapanthus flowers best when its roots are crowded or pot-bound, so resist the urge to divide or space it out; disturbed clumps may skip bloom for a year. per North Carolina
Hardiness depends on the type
It splits by type: evergreen kinds are tender (roughly zone 8 to 11, best in pots up north), deciduous kinds are hardier, some to zone 6. Identify yours before siting. per North Carolina and Wisconsin
Deer and rabbit resistant
Deer seldom touch it and rabbits avoid it too: the bitter, pungent onion-family (Amaryllidaceae) chemistry deters browsers. A reliable choice in deer country. per North Carolina and Clemson
Sharp drainage matters most
Excess water is the main enemy: it rots the rhizomes, invites gray mold, and kills crowns in winter. Well-drained soil plus a dry winter rest fixes all at once. per Wisconsin and Missouri Botanical Garden
Draws bees and hummingbirds
The tubular summer flowers pull in bees (including honeybees), butterflies and hummingbirds over a long bloom, giving real nectar value. per University of Florida
Plant the rhizomes shallow
Set rhizomes only about 1 in deep, just covering the roots, never deep. Space dwarf types about 8 in apart, large ones 18 to 24 in. per North Carolina and University of Florida
What pairs well with Agapanthus
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Ironweed
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into early fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Goldenrod
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; lower at 6 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Fountain Grass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Pampas Grass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 8.2 ft, for the layer behind it.
Switchgrass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 4.9 ft, for the layer behind it.
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