Agapanthus Sugar Plum

Agapanthus 'Sugar Plum' (Agapanthus 'Sugar Plum') is the compact agapanthus for gardeners who want the summer flower heads without the sprawling clump. It holds about 70cm tall in flower and 60cm across, with rounded heads in soft purple and pink above tidy strappy foliage. It is frost hardy, drought tolerant and salt tolerant.

Why you'll love it

• Compact enough for a real border. At 70cm by 60cm it edges a path without the leaves flopping across the paving the way full sized agapanthus do.
• Soft purple and pink heads. The colouring is gentler than the hard blue of the common form, so it sits easily beside roses, salvias and silver foliage.
• Tough in every direction. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant and salt tolerant, so it copes with a coastal front garden, a hot driveway strip and a cold southern winter.
• Evergreen and low maintenance. The foliage holds through winter, so the border keeps its shape when the flowers have gone.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 50cm apart in a single row for a continuous edge. The clumps merge into an unbroken band of foliage within two seasons, with no gaps for weeds.

Mass planting and driveways. Blocks and long driveway runs at 50cm centres are where agapanthus earns its reputation. Allow a full metre from the driveway edge so the flower heads are not clipped by car doors.

Pots and coastal gardens. A pot 400mm or wider holds one clump for three or four years, and on the coast it takes salt wind without burning.

Growing Agapanthus Sugar Plum in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the most flower heads; part shade gives more leaf and fewer blooms. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens, and it is frost hardy once the clump is established. In a cold inland garden the foliage looks tired by late winter, then freshens in spring.

Soil. Almost any soil that drains. It grows in sand, loam and improved clay, and tolerates poor dry ground better than rich wet ground. Mulch 50mm deep but keep the crown clear.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring lifts flower numbers, while too much nitrogen produces leaves at the expense of blooms.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems off at the base as they finish, which keeps the display tidy and stops the plant setting seed. 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. Tubes are young divisions with a small fan of leaves, the economical way to plant a long border. The 140mm packs suit mass planting, since you are buying enough to make a drift in one delivery. Neither size flowers in its first season as a rule.

Strappy leaved plants travel well, though leaves can be creased in transit and that grows out. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, under our 30 day healthy plant guarantee. Two honest notes: the sap irritates skin, so wear gloves when dividing, and agapanthus is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Ideas for low growing plants along a border
• Browse the full agapanthus range
• Compare plants suited to mass planting
• Salt tolerant plants for coastal gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant them for a border?

50cm apart in a single row. The clumps meet within two seasons and give an unbroken edge. For a wider band, use two staggered rows at the same spacing.

Why is mine all leaves and no flowers?

Usually too much shade or too much nitrogen. Give it six hours of direct sun and a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring. A congested clump that has not been divided in five years will also slow down.

Does it need deadheading?

Cutting spent stems at the base keeps the planting tidy and prevents seed set, which is worth doing near bushland since agapanthus can naturalise in parts of southern Australia.