Agapanthus praecox ssp.orientalis

(Common agapanthus)

The spectacular mauve or white floral display of the Agapanthus can come at a cost. If the old flower stalks are left on the plant they will develop seed heads. This native of South Africa can spread by seed and vegetatively from fragments and runners. It is often spread in dumped garden waste and can become a nuisance in natural vegetation areas. This is one environmental weed that can be controlled by pruning off the flower heads and disposing of them responsibly.

There is another solution. Agapanthus “BlackPantha” is a new variation of this plant that is less invasive than the common species. It has been bred to bear dark blue flowers that look almost black in bud. As a consequence of its breeding, most of the flowers are sterile, so they don’t produce as much seed. There are now hybrids of agapanthus available that have been bred for improved flowers, also resulting in sterile or low-fertility varieties including the dwarf Agapanthus ‘Peter Pan’.

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