Agapanthus orientalis 'Albus'
African lily 'Albiflorus'
A herbaceous perennial up to 1.2m high with evergreen leaves, 40-70cm long, and round flowerheads, up to 25cm across, of a hundred or more white flowers, up to 5cm long, from late summer to early autumn
Other common names
white African lily [misapplied]Synonyms
Agapanthus africanus 'Albus' misappliedAgapanthus umbellatus 'Albus'
see moreAgapanthus praecox 'Albus'
Agapanthus 'Africanus White'
Agapanthus orientalis 'Albus'
Agapanthus praecox subsp. orientalis 'Albus'
Agapanthus praecox subsp. orientalis var. albiflorus
Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | White | Green | ||
| Autumn | White | Green | ||
| Winter | Green |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H2Botanical details
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Potentially harmful
- Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
- Genus
Agapanthus are clump-forming perennials with narrowly strap-shaped leaves, evergreen in some species, and erect stems bearing umbels of funnel-shaped blue or white flowers
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
In colder areas, grow in containers in loam-based compost such as John Innes No. 3, water freely when in growth but sparingly in winter, and apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly from spring until flowering; in milder areas, grow outside in moisture-retentive but well-drained soil in full sun, in a sheltered position such as a south-facing or wet-facing wall, and provide winter protection with a dry mulch; for more advice, see Agapanthus cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by division in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Mediterranean climate plants
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Wall side borders
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required except cutting back dead flower stems, but allow them to remain until spring, because the seedheads look attractive over winter
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs and snails and agapanthus gall midge
Diseases
May be susceptible to a virus
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.