Gentle agapanthus, also called the Nile or African lily, is a prominent representative of the Agapanthus family. This graceful plant came to us from South Africa and quickly won the hearts of flower growers. In this material you will learn all about agapanthus: planting and care in the open ground, description and popular varieties, diseases and pests.
Description
Agapanthus is a herbaceous perennial characterized by a branched and short rhizome. It has linear leaves that gather in a basal rosette. The length of the plates reaches 22 cm and a width of 3-4 cm. During flowering, the crop 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 painted in blue, blue and purple tones. But there are specimens with snow-white and lilac flowers, and even a “striped” color. The 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 forms a fruit box 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 in culture, only such varieties are grown:
- African agapanthus. Evergreen herbaceous shrub reaches 60 cm in height. It is grown indoors, or in large flowerpots in the yard. The buds are lilac and blue. Some varieties have pale milk streaks on the petals.
- Agapanthus is bell-shaped. Deciduous shrub miniature size. Petals are painted in rich purple tones.
- Agapanthus is eastern. Evergreen variety of medium height, characterized by shortened broad leaves. Small buds are painted in pale purple tones.
- Agapanthus umbrella. The variety reaches 75 cm in height. It features wide dark green leaves, with a pronounced groove along the entire length. Peduncles with numerous buds are painted in blue tones.
Breeders bred a lot of hybrids and varieties of this tender plant. And the next chapter will introduce you to some of them.
Popular varieties
Of the variety of agapanthus varieties, the following are especially popular among Russian gardeners:
- Variegata. It has a high peduncle and sky-blue petals, on which there are white stripes.
- Albus Its snow-white peduncles reach 25 cm in diameter.
- Peter Pen. A dwarf variety with a height of 35–40 cm. Sky blue bells.
- Star Quoliti. 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. Petals are painted in bright indigo. It is easier to take root in an apartment than in open ground.
Each of these varieties will decorate your flower collection. But for this it will be necessary to provide the culture with good conditions.
Seed cultivation
Agapanthus is a thermophilic plant, therefore it is better to grow it in the greenhouse way. Start sowing in mid-April. For the greenhouse, select a well-lit room with a temperature of +24 ° C. As a soil, use peat mixed with perlite in a ratio of 1 to 3. How to plant a flower:
- Fill the containers with the prepared substrate and sprinkle it lightly from the 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.
- For the seeds to germinate, ventilate the greenhouse daily and wipe the condensate from the shelter. Water the planting, not allowing the soil to dry out.
- After the shoots appear, remove the film and place the seedlings in a bright place, but not in direct sunlight.
When two leaves appear on the seedlings, dive the seedlings into a substrate mixed with humus, turf, foliage and sand (proportion 2: 2: 2: 1).
Outdoor planting and care
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;
- top dressing;
- preparation for winter;
- the fight against diseases and pests.
Next, you will learn in detail about all these rules for the care and planting of agapanthus in the open ground. But remember that the leaves and stems of the culture contain toxic substances. Therefore, carry out all agricultural activities with gloves.
Seat selection
For flowering perennials, choose lighted areas. In the shade, the stems are very long, and the shade of foliage and buds will fade significantly. But to plant a plant under the scorching sun is also not worth it, since in such a place burns will appear on the foliage. Ideal would be the southern, eastern or western side of the site with lace 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 caps of flowers, then before planting, prepare a mixture consisting of the following components:
- two parts of humus;
- two parts of clay-sod land;
- part of deciduous humus;
- part of the sand.
In such soil, the flower will feel particularly comfortable, will grow well and will delight long and numerous flowering.
Landing
Do not rush to plant a flower garden in front of the house until the temperature reaches + 10 ... + 12 ° C and the risk of night frost disappears. Otherwise, the seedlings may die. As a rule, optimal conditions for planting occur in mid-May. How to plant flowers:
- At the prepared site, dig planting pits 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 pits. Note that the roots of plants are fragile and delicate. So do the procedure carefully.
- Fill the voids with soil, slightly compact and water the soil well.
After planting, be sure to mulch the surface of the soil with straw, peat or humus. This layer will hold moisture and protect the crop from weeds.
Watering
Agapanthus flower is a rather hygrophilous 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, increase watering. Closer to autumn, when it starts to get colder, completely cancel the irrigation.
Top dressing
To get a truly magnificent flower garden in front of the house, it is important to regularly feed 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 intended for indoor flowering plants. Feed from spring to late summer.
Wintering
Leaving the plant in the open ground in winter is only possible in warm regions where the temperature does not drop below -2 ° C. And even here it is advisable for the plant to arrange a good shelter. To do this, cover the plant with a box, and top 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 a basement or cellar until spring.
Agapanthus is very sensitive to transplantation, and may not bloom after wintering. To avoid such problems, initially plant flowers in spacious tubs and drip them in the garden. Then, with the approach of the cold, 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.
Breeding
In addition to growing from seeds, agapanthus is propagated by dividing the bush. But this method is only suitable for adult plants. Begin the event in spring or autumn during a culture transplant.
If you propagate the culture before wintering, then prepare the pots first. And also make a substrate consisting of humus, turf soil, humus and sand mixed in a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1. Be sure to disinfect the ground before planting. To do this, bake it in the oven or hold it over steam.
How to propagate a bush:
- With a sharp, sanitized knife, divide the bush into several parts. Make sure that in each of them there are 2-3 leaf sockets. Smaller parts will not take root in a new place.
- The places of cuts are processed with crushed coal.
- Put delenki in moist soil and leave for 3 days.
- After the due date, plant the seedlings in separate pots filled with a moistened substrate. If you hold an event in the spring, then plant the crops in the flowerbed.
In the future, provide plants with suitable weather conditions.
Pests
Purple flowers often attack scale insects, slugs, spider mites and snails. These pests affect the aerial part of the plant and roots, which leads to the death of the culture. To avoid this, regularly inspect the flower garden for insects. And if you find parasites, then immediately engage in the fight against them.
A crushed egg shell will help get rid of snails. It should be sprinkled near the bushes. To get rid of a scab or tick, rub a small piece of laundry soap on a grater and dissolve 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 does not cope with it, then use the “Aktara” or “Aktellik” insecticides.
Disease
This flowering perennial is a plant with strong immunity, but occasionally it is affected by fungal diseases. They can be recognized by dry, crumbling leaves, covered with gray or white bloom. To cure the plant, treat the shrub with copper sulphate or a fungicide such as "Fundazole" or "Ambulance".
Often, a leaf rosette in flowers turns yellow. This phenomenon occurs due to lack of watering, or, conversely, excessive irrigation. Regulate irrigation to get rid of the problem.
Ensure the correct planting and care in the open ground agapanthus, and your flower garden will delight with its attractive appearance for a long time.