Agapanthus Buccaneer

Agapanthus 'Buccaneer' (Agapanthus 'Buccaneer') is a deep blue selection that holds its flower heads at about 80cm on a clump 60cm across. Strappy evergreen leaves keep the planting tidy all year, and the heads open through summer well above the foliage. This is the plant for a hot, exposed strip where you need something that looks after itself.

Why you'll love it

• Deep blue, not washed out. The heads carry a stronger blue and purple than common garden agapanthus, and they hold that colour in full sun.
• It survives what kills other perennials. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, drought tolerant and salt tolerant, all in one plant.
• Evergreen structure. The strappy foliage looks deliberate for twelve months, so a driveway edge never goes bare in winter.
• Bees work it hard. The nectar rich heads pull in bees and butterflies right through summer.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 50cm apart for a solid mass. At that spacing the clumps knit into a continuous band within two seasons and weeds stop getting a look in.

Borders and edging. A single row at the same 50cm centres gives a clean defined edge along a path or a lawn.

Coastal gardens. Salt tolerance and sheer toughness make it a standard exposed coastal planting, and the roots hold sandy banks.

Driveways and pots. Repeat plantings down a driveway read well at speed, and one clump fills a 400mm pot for years without division.

Growing Agapanthus 'Buccaneer' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, though it accepts part shade with fewer heads. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, which covers most of the country outside the wet tropics.

Soil. Almost anything that drains. It performs in sand, in clay that has been opened up, and in poor coastal ground. Waterlogging is the only real enemy.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to establish the clump, then only in extended dry spells. A slow release fertiliser in early spring lifts the flower count noticeably.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems at the base once they finish. That tidies the clump and stops it setting seed, which is worth doing because agapanthus can self seed into bushland in some southern districts. Divide congested clumps every four or five years.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in tube stock and in 140mm pots sold in packs of ten. Tubes are young single fans and the economical way to plant a long run, taking a season or two longer to flower. The 140mm plants usually flower in their first or second summer.

Strappy foliage travels well, and bent leaf tips can be trimmed on arrival. Expect a few quiet weeks while the roots take hold, then strong leaf growth through the first warm season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full agapanthus range
• Salt tolerant plants for coastal gardens
• Plants suited to mass planting
• Choosing edging plants for a defined border

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

50cm apart for a solid mass planting. Hold the same spacing in a single edging row and the clumps will meet by the second season.

Is it safe around pets?

The sap can irritate skin and mouth, so we do not list it as pet friendly. It is a very common garden plant and trouble is rare, but keep cut stems and divisions away from a dog that chews.

Why is mine not flowering?

Usually too much shade, or a clump so congested it has run out of room. Move it into full sun, feed in early spring, and divide it if it has sat in one spot beyond four or five years.

Will it survive frost?

Yes. It is frost hardy and copes with cold southern winters, though the foliage can look tired by the end of a hard one. Fresh growth comes away in spring.