Agapanthus Bingo Blue

Bingo Blue Agapanthus (Agapanthus 'Bingo Blue') is a compact selection that holds at about 50cm tall and 50cm wide, roughly half the bulk of the old roadside agapanthus. Rounded heads of deep blue flowers stand just clear of the strappy evergreen foliage right through summer. Few plants take coastal salt, heat, drought and frost and still flower on schedule.

Why you'll love it

• Small enough for a real border. At 50cm it edges a path instead of flopping across it, which is where full sized agapanthus always ends up.
• Deep blue over a long season. Flower heads sit on stems short enough to stay upright in wind, so the display holds through summer.
• It handles almost anything. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant and salt tolerant, which covers coastal blocks, hot driveway strips and cold southern gardens alike.
• Evergreen structure. The clump stays green year round, so the border still reads as planted through winter when the flowers are gone.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 40cm apart for a continuous border. Clumps meet within two seasons, and because every plant is the same compact size the line stays even without trimming.

Mass planting. The same 40cm spacing across a bank or nature strip gives a solid block of foliage that shades out most weeds once closed.

Pots, balconies and coastal gardens. Three plants fill a 400mm pot comfortably, and the salt tolerance suits an exposed courtyard or a front fence line.

Growing Bingo Blue agapanthus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering. Part shade is tolerated, but you get more leaf than flower. Subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens all suit it, and it is frost hardy enough for cold inland and southern districts.

Soil. Almost anything that drains. It is genuinely unfussy about type and copes with poor sandy ground, but avoid a bed that stays wet through winter, which rots the fleshy roots. Mulch 50mm deep, kept off the crown.

Water and feed. Weekly water through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring lifts flower numbers. Nitrogen heavy feeds do the opposite and give you leaves.

Tidying and division. Cut spent flower stems off at the base as they finish, which keeps the planting sharp and stops seed setting. Lift and divide congested clumps every four or five years in autumn.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes as tubestock or as 140mm plants in packs of ten. Tubes are small divisions with a few leaves and usually take two summers to flower properly, which makes them the sensible buy for a long border. The 140mm plants are larger clumps and generally flower in their first full summer.

Agapanthus travels better than most, since the fleshy roots carry their own water. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect new leaves within a month in warm weather. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full agapanthus range
• Choosing plants for garden edging
• Salt tolerant plants for coastal gardens
• Plants that suit mass planting

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Forty centimetres apart for a border or a mass planting. Closer than that and the clumps compete early, which means dividing them years sooner than you would like.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Agapanthus is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, and the sap irritates skin on contact. Wear gloves when you divide clumps, and site it away from a pet that chews foliage.

Will it flower in shade?

Sparsely. Part shade produces a healthy clump with few flower heads, so if flowers are the point give it at least six hours of direct sun.

Should I deadhead it?

Yes. Cutting spent heads at the base tidies the planting and stops seed forming, which matters in southern districts where agapanthus can spread beyond the garden.