- Origin of African Lilies
- Bucket attitude
- Deciduous African Lilies
- Important temperatures
- frequently asked Questions
Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
African lilies are divided into deciduous and evergreen species. The evergreen species are often planted in tubs. The deciduous ones also thrive in the garden, but is Agapanthus hardy there too?
In a nutshell
- Agapanthus a blue or white flowering perennial with rhizomes
- suitable both for container keeping and planted out in the garden bed
- Differentiation between evergreen and deciduous species
- evergreen species not hardy, deciduous representatives conditionally
- always hibernate cool, protect planted specimens with mulch and brushwood
Origin of African Lilies
All African lily species come from South Africa and therefore grow in milder regions. However, there are species that are more native to mild coastal regions and those that have adapted to cooler mountain climates. Despite this, they are not used to the harsh winters of temperate climates.
Bucket attitude
Evergreen species like Agapanthus africanus are not suitable for outdoors. You are with us not sufficiently or not at all winterproof. It is necessary to plant them in a pot and overwinter indoors in cooler temperatures.
Evergreen specimens such as Agapanthus praecox are little or not at all hardy.
The same applies to the species Agapanthus praecox and all crosses of these species. They must not be watered too much in the winter quarters, the roots could rot. In addition, there is no fertilization. With a lot of light in the winter quarters, the African lilies bloom faster the following year.
Notice: Even if evergreen agapanthus are not hardy, they should not be wintered too warm. They then flower less well or not at all.
Deciduous African Lilies
Outdoors, the deciduous African lily grows best in a sheltered spot with a mild climate. This is agapanthus only conditionally hardy. This means that it does not tolerate severe frosts, but with some minus degrees sufficient winter protection is doing well.
Even if overwintering outdoors would be possible with sufficient winter protection, deciduous African lilies in pots should also overwinter indoors.
However, this does not apply to potted plants. In pots, the substrate freezes through quickly, so that the rhizomes get too much frost. Young plants are particularly vulnerable to frost outdoors, they should be well protected in the first winter. Only when they have grown sufficiently do they tolerate the cold better. In very cold areas, it is better to dig up some rhizomes in autumn and overwinter them indoors in a pot. They are planted out again in the spring.
Important temperatures
- both species generally hibernate quite cool
- indoors at about five to zero degrees
- well protected, hardy outdoors at minus five degrees (only deciduous Agapanthus species)
- minus 15 degrees are tolerated for a short time (only deciduous species)
frequently asked Questions
How can the African lily species be distinguished?This is not easy, because the flowers are blue-purple in all species. Many breeds also have white flowers. The foliage is always green or green and white striped. The main difference is that deciduous species lose their foliage in winter. When buying, you should pay close attention to the label so that you buy the plant that has the desired properties.
How do African lilies overwinter in the garden?A location that is protected from waterlogging, strong winds and low temperatures is important. Since the deciduous African lilies shed their leaves, they cannot freeze to death. The rhizomes are protected by a layer of leaves or brushwood. A lot of snow does not harm the plant because it insulates. However, the plant must not become waterlogged.
Which varieties are the most popular?In addition to the evergreen species Agapanthus praecox and the African African lily is also the deciduous one Agapanthus campanulatus popular. In addition, there are numerous popular strains and hybrids that have resulted from crossbreeding.