Clump-forming perennial with long-stemmed blue or white flower heads in summer.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 8–11 | −12.2 °C to 10 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H3 | −5 °C to 1 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 8–9 | −7 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 4–7 | 0 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
About Agapanthus
Agapanthus is South African in origin, and its toughness in poor soil, drought and coastal exposure is why it has become such a fixture of roadside and municipal planting in mild climates. That same toughness has a cost: in parts of Australia and New Zealand it seeds itself into bushland and is treated as an environmental weed, and sterile or low-seeding cultivars are recommended or required in some areas. Evergreen and deciduous types differ significantly in hardiness, the deciduous kinds generally standing more cold.
Growing notes
- Tolerates coastal conditions well
- Can become invasive in warm climates — check local rules
- Flowers December–February in the Southern Hemisphere (midsummer) and June–August in the Northern — a reliable midsummer marker in either
- Drought tolerant and salt tolerant — excellent for hot dry borders and coastal plantings
- Cold-tender — needs frost protection or container culture in cooler climates
- Deciduous hybrids (e.g. Headbourne hybrids) are significantly hardier than the evergreen species
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Agapanthus against your zones