Delicate agapanthus, also called the Nile or African lily, is a prominent member of the Agapanthaceae family. This graceful plant came to us from South Africa and quickly won the hearts of flower growers. In this material, you will learn everything about agapanthus: planting and care in the open field, description and popular varieties, diseases and pests.
Description
Agapanthus is a herbaceous perennial with a branched and short rhizome. It has linear leaves that gather into a rosette. The length of the plates reaches 22 cm, and the width is 3–4 cm. During flowering, the culture produces a peduncle reaching 1.5 meters in height. At the top of this thick stem, an umbrella inflorescence is formed, in which there are up to 150 small funnel-shaped buds. You will see this feature of the plant in the photo of agapanthus, which are given in the material.
Depending on the variety, the petals are colored in blue, light blue and purple tones. But there are specimens with snow-white, andpurple flowers, and even a "striped" color. Buds, resembling miniature bells or lilies, reach a length of 5-6 cm. They exude a pleasant, unobtrusive aroma. Flowering lasts 60 days. After it, a fruit-box is formed, with many flat seeds of a dark shade.
Plant species
The genus of agapanthus, photos of which you will find in the article, includes only 10 species. And only such varieties are grown in culture:
- African agapanthus. Evergreen herbaceous shrub reaches 60 cm in height. It is grown indoors, or in large flowerpots in the yard. The buds are painted in lilac and blue colors. Some varieties have pale milky stripes on the petals.
- Agapanthus bellflower. Deciduous shrub of miniature size. The petals are painted in rich purple tones.
- Agapanthus orientalis. Evergreen variety of medium height, characterized by shortened wide leaves. Small buds are painted in pale purple tones.
- Agapanthus umbrella. The variety reaches 75 cm in height. Differs in wide dark green leaves, with a pronounced groove along the entire length. Peduncles with numerous buds are painted in blue tones.
Breeders have bred many hybrids and varieties of this delicate plant. And the next chapter will introduce you to some of them.
Popular varieties
Of the variety of varieties of agapanthus, especially popular with Russian gardenersenjoy these ones:
- Variegata. It features a tall peduncle and sky blue petals with white stripes.
- Albus. Its snow-white peduncles reach 25 cm in diameter.
- Peter Pan. Dwarf variety with a height of 35–40 cm. Sky blue bells.
- Star Quality. Peduncle reaches 100 cm in height. The buds are painted in cream, lilac and blue tones. The variety is suitable for cutting and stands without losing freshness up to 16 days.
- Pinocchio. Peduncles varieties reach 80 cm in length. The petals are painted in a bright indigo color. Easier to take root in an apartment than in the open field.
Each of these varieties will decorate your flower collection. But for this, it will be necessary to provide culture with good conditions.
Growing from seeds
Agapanthus is a heat-loving plant, so it is better to grow it in a greenhouse way. Start sowing in mid-April. For a greenhouse, choose a well-lit room with a temperature of +24 ° C. As soil, use peat mixed with perlite in a ratio of 1 to 3. How to sow a flower:
- Fill the containers with prepared substrate and lightly spray it with a spray bottle.
- Spread the seeds evenly over the surface of the soil and sprinkle them with a thin layer of sand.
- Cover the container with polyethylene or glass.
- In order for the seeds to sprout, air the greenhouse daily and wipe the condensate from the shelter. Water the planting without allowing the soil to dry out.
- After sprouts appear, remove the film and placeseedlings in a lighted place, but not under the direct rays of the sun.
When two leaves appear on the seedlings, dive the seedlings into a substrate mixed from humus, sod, foliage and sand (proportion 2:2:2:1).
Planting and care in the open field
Agapanthus is an unpretentious plant, but in order for it to take root, it is important to choose a good place for a flower garden where the culture will feel as comfortable as possible. And you also need to provide the flower with minimal care, including:
- regular watering;
- feeding;
- preparation for winter;
- disease and pest control.
Next, you will learn in detail about all these rules for the care and planting of agapanthus in the open field. But remember that the leaves and stems of the culture contain toxic substances. Therefore, carry out all agricultural activities with gloves.
Choosing a seat
For flowering perennials, choose lighted areas. In the shade, the stems will stretch out a lot, and the shade of foliage and buds will fade significantly. But planting a plant under the scorching sun is also not worth it, since burns will appear on the foliage in such a place. The ideal would be the southern, eastern or western side of the site with lacy penumbra.
As for the soil, the culture does not impose special requirements on it. The main thing is that the soil is fertile, loose with neutral acidity. If you want to get fluffy hats of flowers, then before planting, prepare a mixture consisting of the following components:
- two parts of humus;
- two parts of clay-turf land;
- part of leafy humus;
- a piece of sand.
In such soil, the flower will feel especially comfortable, will grow well and will delight with long and numerous flowering.
Landing
Don't rush to plant a flower garden in front of the house until the temperature settles within +10…+12 °C and the risk of night frosts disappears. Otherwise, the seedlings may die. As a rule, optimal conditions for planting occur by mid-May. How to plant flowers:
- In the prepared area, dig planting holes 8 cm deep. Keep a distance of 50 cm between each plant.
- Carefully remove the seedlings from the substrate and place them in the planting holes. Keep in mind that the roots of plants are fragile and tender. So proceed carefully.
- Fill voids with soil, compact lightly and water well.
After planting, be sure to mulch the soil surface with straw, peat or humus. This layer will retain moisture and protect the crop from weeds.
Irrigation
Agapanthus flower is a rather moisture-loving plant. Therefore, for normal growth and development, it needs regular, but moderate irrigation. Abundant watering of agapanthus is as harmful as prolonged drought. Therefore, moisten the soil with a small amount of water as the topsoil dries. If the weather is hot and dry, then increase watering. Closer to autumn, when it starts to get colder, completely cancel irrigation.
Feeding
To get a truly lush flower garden in front of the house, it is important to regularly feed the agapanthus. During budding and flowering, feed the bushes every two weeks. Moreover, it is desirable to alternate organic and mineral fertilizers. Then the plant will receive all the necessary elements and nutrients.
From organic matter, use humus, peat, ash or compost. From mineral fertilizers, choose formulations designed for indoor flowering plants. Feed from spring to late summer.
Wintering
Leaving the plant outdoors in winter is possible only in warm regions where the temperature does not fall below -2 °C. And even here it is desirable for the plant to arrange a good shelter. To do this, cover the plant with a box, and top it off with sawdust or fallen leaves.
In the central and northern regions, flowers are dug up, transplanted into containers and transferred to a cool room. In deciduous species, the top of the plants is cut off, the rhizomes are sprinkled with moist peat and stored in the basement or cellar until spring.
Agapanthus is very painful to transplant, and may not bloom after wintering. To avoid such problems, initially plant flowers in spacious tubs and dig them in the garden. Then, with the approach of cold weather, you only need to remove the containers from the ground and transfer them to a cool room. And next spring, return the plants to a permanent place.
Reproduction
In addition to growing from seeds, agapanthus is propagated by dividing the bush. But thisthe method is suitable only for adult plants. Start the event in spring or autumn during a crop transplant.
If you propagate the culture before wintering, then pre-prepare the pots. And also make a substrate consisting of humus, soddy soil, humus and sand, mixed in a ratio of 2:2:2:1. Be sure to decontaminate the ground before planting. To do this, bake it in the oven or hold it over steam.
How to propagate a shrub:
- With a sharp, disinfected knife, divide the bush into several parts. Make sure that each of them has 2-3 leaf sockets. Smaller parts will not take root in the new location.
- Treat the cuts with crushed charcoal.
- Dig the delenki into moist soil and leave for 3 days.
- After the due date, plant the seedlings in separate pots filled with moistened substrate. If you are holding an event in the spring, then plant crops in a flower bed.
Get your plants weather-appropriate care from now on.
Pests
Purple flowers are often attacked by scale insects, slugs, spider mites and snails. These pests infect the aerial part of the plant and the roots, which leads to the death of the crop. To avoid this, regularly inspect the flower garden for insects. And if you find parasites, then immediately join the fight against them.
Crushed eggshells will help get rid of snails. It must be sprinkled near the bushes. To get rid of a scale insect or tick, grate a small piece of laundry soap anddissolve the resulting chips in hot water. When the liquid has cooled, treat the bush with it. If the insect colony is too numerous, and the soap solution cannot cope with it, then use Aktara or Aktellik insecticides.
Diseases
This flowering perennial is a plant with strong immunity, but occasionally it is affected by fungal diseases. You can recognize them by dry, crumbling leaves, covered with a gray or white bloom. To cure the plant, treat the shrub with copper sulphate or a fungicide such as Fundazola or Skora.
Often the leaf rosette of flowers turns yellow. This phenomenon occurs due to a lack of watering, or, conversely, excessive irrigation. To get rid of the problem, regulate irrigation.
Properly plant and care for your outdoor agapanthus, and your flower garden will delight with its attractive appearance for a long time.
