Dwarf Blue Agapanthus

Dwarf Blue Agapanthus (Agapanthus 'Dwarf Blue') gives you the blue summer flower heads of the old garden agapanthus at roughly a third of the size. Strappy foliage sits at about 40cm, with flower stems reaching 60cm, so it edges a path or a driveway without flopping across it. It is drought, salt and heat tolerant once established, and it asks for almost nothing.

Why you'll love it

• Compact where the old form is not. At 60cm in flower it stays in scale with a small garden and never swamps the plants behind it.
• Blue through summer. Rounded heads of blue to purple flowers carry for weeks over glossy evergreen foliage.
• Hard to kill. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant and salt tolerant, which covers most difficult positions in a garden.
• Evergreen structure. The foliage clump holds its shape all year, so the edging still works in winter.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 40cm apart for a solid border. At that spacing the clumps meet in a season and the flower stems rise as an even line rather than a scatter.

Mass planting and groundcover. The same 40cm spacing across a bank or a nature strip gives a low evergreen cover that suppresses weeds once closed.

Pots and coastal gardens. A 300mm pot holds one clump for several years, and salt tolerance makes it a reliable performer in a seaside front garden.

Growing dwarf agapanthus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the most flowers, though it will flower in part shade with fewer stems. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens, and it is frost hardy enough for cold southern winters.

Soil. Almost any soil with reasonable drainage. It copes with sandy coastal ground and with clay, provided water does not sit around the crown through winter.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in prolonged dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring gives heavier flowering; overfeeding produces leaves at the expense of stems.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems off at the base as they finish. This tidies the clump and stops seed setting, which matters because agapanthus can self seed into bushland. Divide congested clumps every four or five years.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown as tube stock and in 140mm pots sold in packs of ten. The 140mm packs are the practical choice for a border or a mass planting, since one pack covers about 4m of edging at the recommended spacing. Tubes are younger and cheaper per plant, and they catch up within a season.

Agapanthus travels well because the foliage is firm and the roots are fleshy. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect leaf growth in the first season and full flowering in the second. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full agapanthus range
• Low growing plant ideas for garden borders
• Plants that suit mass planting
• Salt tolerant plants for coastal gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Forty centimetres apart gives a solid, continuous border within a season. Wider spacing leaves gaps for weeds, and closer planting means dividing the clumps sooner.

Is it safe around pets?

No. Agapanthus is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, and the sap is a skin and eye irritant for people too. Wear gloves when dividing or cutting back, and choose something else if your pet chews plants.

Why is it not flowering?

Usually too much shade, too much nitrogen, or a clump that has been left undisturbed too long. Move it into full sun, switch to a balanced fertiliser in early spring, and divide anything older than five years.

Will it survive frost?

Yes. It is frost hardy and the foliage may look tired after a hard winter, then recover in spring. A light mulch over the crown helps young plants through their first cold season.