The African lily has become a popular container plant in the local latitudes. Therefore, the question of the right care, which also includes the cut, arises in particular. How to properly prune agapanthus.

In a nutshell

  • there are both evergreen and deciduous varieties
  • Cutting dead flowers stimulates growth of new flower stalks
  • When propagating by seeds, do not cut flowers, but let them mature
  • Removing faded parts also has an optical effect
  • Pay attention to the variety when cutting before winter

Two different types

There are two different species of Agapanthus. On the one hand the African lilies that lose their leaves in autumn and on the other hand those that are evergreen:

  • one variety forms yellow leaves in autumn
  • so-called leaf-feeding varieties
  • in winter only the underground rhizome remains
  • Plant sprouts again in spring
  • other variety remains evergreen
  • put into winter quarters with leaves
  • green leaves should not be removed

cutting tool

If faded or yellow leaves are to be removed from the African lilies, then the right cutting material is also required. Since both the flower stalks and leaves can be easily removed, good household scissors or light pruning shears are usually sufficient. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before cutting:

When cutting plants of any kind, always use clean and sharp cutting tools!
  • only use clean and sharp cutting tools
  • clean again before cutting
  • best to disinfect
  • pure alcohol from the pharmacy is sufficient
  • alternatively, use disinfectants from garden stores
  • clean just before cutting
  • Otherwise, bacteria or fungi could be on the cut side
  • got directly into the plant during the cutting process
  • Damage and weakening possible

Remove faded

Faded flowers always look unsightly. To ensure that the plant still looks decorative after it has faded, you can completely cut the flower stalks of the Agapanthus:

  • right below the base
  • this is also a maintenance measure
  • stimulates flowering
  • strengthens the growth of the plant
  • Allowing seeds to mature costs additional power
  • Energy is then lacking for other things

Tip: If you want to multiply the African lily, you don't necessarily need the seeds for this. The plant forms underground rhizomes and can be easily propagated by division.

remove leaves

The right time to remove the leaves is when they turn yellow. Especially when it is an evergreen lily that suddenly has yellow leaves.

Yellow leaves, whatever the reason, should always be removed quickly.

These reasons include, among others:

  • too much sun exposure
  • Sunburn in the form of yellow spots
  • age of the leaf
  • remove such leaves for prevention
  • otherwise rot and mold possible
  • weakening of the plant

Cut before winter

Not all African lilies are cut before overwintering. The right time to cut the yellow leaves of the deciduous varieties of Agapanthus is in autumn before moving into winter quarters:

  • remove all yellow leaves
  • Rhizomes remain in soil
  • do not need light when overwintering
  • can be placed in a dark room until spring

Notice: The yellow leaves should be removed as soon as they are visible. Because unlike bulb flowers, these should not be left on the plant until they are dry, as there is no need to draw strength from this for the next season.

frequently asked Questions

Should I also remove the old inflorescences when I need the seeds?

If you need the seeds of the African lily to sow new plants, then you should let the inflorescences mature after they have faded. The plant can reproduce itself from the seeds, or you can later remove the seeds from the dried flowers and sow them yourself. Seeds begin to ripen in September, until then faded flowers should remain on the plant.

Am I doing something wrong if I don't trim the leaves in the fall?

Especially if your agapanthus is new and you don't know what variety it is, you should treat the plant like an evergreen lily and overwinter in a bright spot with leaves. If more and more leaves turn yellow, it is probably a variety that sheds its leaves in the fall. In this case, remove all yellow leaves and put the plant in the dark.

What happens if I forget to remove the buds from my Agapanthus?

In this case, not much happens, except that the plant puts all its effort into wilting and forming the seeds. These are distributed around the mother plant after they have ripened and it can happen that new African lilies shoot out of the ground everywhere. However, if these are not cultivated in pots, they will not survive the winter. You can then remove the flower stalks in autumn or at the latest in spring before the new shoots.

Category:

Garden plants