Agapanthus White

White Agapanthus (Agapanthus praecox) is the plant landscapers reach for when a long driveway or a coastal bed needs to look finished with the least possible fuss. Strappy evergreen foliage sits at knee height, and through summer round white flower heads rise to about 90cm above it. It survives salt wind, poor soil, heat and dry spells, and it comes back every year without being replanted.

Why you'll love it

• White reads clean at a distance. It suits modern and coastal planting better than the blue form, and lifts a shaded corner rather than disappearing into it.
• Genuinely hard to kill. Drought, salt and heat tolerant and content in poor soil, so it holds ground that defeats most perennials.
• Evergreen between flowerings. The foliage still looks like a plant in winter, so a border does not revert to bare mulch.
• Affordable in numbers. Tubes and multi packs make a long run cheap, and the clumps thicken each year rather than needing replacement.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 40cm apart for a solid drift, roughly six plants per square metre. At that spacing the foliage closes over within two seasons and suppresses weeds.

Driveways and long borders. The same 40cm spacing gives an even ribbon along a drive or fence line, and the height keeps sightlines clear at a gateway.

Coastal gardens and pots. It takes direct salt wind, and a single clump fills a 400mm pot for years with nothing more than an occasional water.

Growing white agapanthus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the most flower heads; it will grow in part shade with fewer. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens and is frost hardy, though foliage can burn in a severe frost and recovers in spring.

Soil. Almost anything that drains: sand, clay loam and poor coastal soil are all fine. Avoid ground that stays waterlogged. Mulch 50mm deep, clear of the crowns.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to establish, then only in long dry spells. A complete fertiliser in early spring improves flowering; anything richer produces leaves at the expense of flower heads.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems at the base as soon as they finish, which stops seed setting and keeps the planting tidy. Tidy dead outer leaves in late winter, and divide congested clumps every four or five years in early spring.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes. Tubes are young single fans and the value choice for a long driveway run, filling out within a season or two. The 140mm pack of ten and the 200mm pack of six arrive as established clumps, which suits a shorter bed that should read immediately.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect roots to take within a month in warm weather, foliage to fill out in the first season and a proper display in the second summer. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare every agapanthus we grow
• Choosing plants for a clean garden edge
• Plants that suit mass planting
• Browse coastal and salt tolerant plants

Common questions

Is it safe around pets and children?

No. Agapanthus is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, and the sap irritates skin, so wear gloves when dividing or cutting stems.

Will it spread where I do not want it?

It can self seed in mild districts, and it is a declared weed in parts of southern Australia. Cutting the flower stems off as soon as they finish prevents seed entirely.

Why has an established clump stopped flowering?

Usually congestion, too much shade or too much nitrogen. Lift and divide the clump in early spring, replant the healthy outer pieces, and flowering returns the following summer.

Western Australia: this plant is listed as an environmental weed in WA, where it escapes from gardens into bushland. We do not recommend it for WA gardens. Please choose a local alternative.