Agapanthus umbellatus 'Ovatus'
Umbellatus Ovatus is a African Lily which is very suitable as a pot plant. The floriferous plant is known to attracts bees and butterflies with its fragrant lilac-blue flowers. For best results grow in moist but well-drained soil in a sunny spot. In colder regions, mulch the roots to protect from frost in winter.
Flowering period
Planting period
About this plant
Agapanthus
African lilies (Agapanthus) are clump-forming perennials from southern Africa that grow from fleshy rhizomes. Above a tuft of strap-shaped leaves, sturdy leafless stems carry rounded umbels of trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of blue, violet or white in summer. Gardeners value them for their graphic, long-lasting display and easy culture.
Agapanthus umbellatus
Agapanthus umbellatus is a name widely used in horticulture for the classic garden African lily and is closely linked to A. africanus. It forms a vigorous clump of semi-evergreen, strap-shaped leaves, topped in summer by large hemispherical umbels of lavender-blue or white bell-shaped flowers on stems up to about 1 m tall.
Location and soil
Give it a sunny, warm and sheltered spot in light, fertile, well-drained soil, ideally slightly acidic. Once established it copes well with drought, but not with waterlogging. It is only moderately hardy, so in Belgium it needs a protected, south-facing site with a thick winter mulch, or a pot that can be overwintered frost-free.
Pruning and care
No pruning is needed apart from cutting spent flower stems at the base. Water during dry summer spells and feed container plants each spring. Leave established clumps undisturbed, as they flower more freely when crowded; in cold winters protect the crown with mulch or move pots to a cool, bright, frost-free place.
Use in the garden
Suitable for borders, edges, large rock gardens and terrace containers, and especially at home in mild coastal gardens. It looks good alongside other white, mauve or blue plants and in exotic-style plantings with red hot pokers and daylilies. In mild weather it may repeat its flowering, and the umbels are excellent for cutting.
Characteristics
Botanical
| Family | Amaryllidaceae |
| Genus | Agapanthus |
| Species | umbellatus |
| Cultivar | 'Ovatus' |
Flowering
| Flowering period | july, august |
| Colour (flower) | blue |
Foliage
| Evergreen | yes |
| Colour (foliage) | green |
Growth habit
| Height | 100 cm |
Location
| Winter hardiness | -5 °C |
| Soil type | neutral |
| Location | sun |
| Soil moisture | normal |
Use
| Type (use) | shrub, in group |