Queen Anne Agapanthus

Queen Anne Agapanthus (Agapanthus africanus 'Queen Anne') is a mid sized agapanthus, 40cm to 60cm tall and about 40cm wide, with wide strappy leaves and rounded heads of purple-blue flowers in spring and summer. Each petal is pale with a deeper stripe down its centre, which gives the blooms a soft, two toned look. It is cold hardy and sun loving, a good candidate for tough spots, especially near the coast.

Why you'll love it

• Soft, striped flowers. Pale petals with a deeper purple-blue stripe down the middle make each round head look delicately painted.
• A versatile size. Knee high, it sits between the dwarf and tall agapanthus, which suits borders, edging and pots alike.
• Cold hardy and sun loving. It handles frost and full sun, so it earns its keep in exposed beds and by the sea.
• Little care. Hardy and low maintenance, it only needs dividing when the clump gets too big.
• A low, green planting. Its dense leaf clumps make a tidy ground layer, and it is used as a low firebreak plant in firewise gardens.

Where it works best

Drifts and mass plantings. Plant 40cm apart and let the clumps knit into a sweep of summer colour.

Pots and edging. At knee height it works in large containers and along a path, where the striped flowers can be admired up close.

Coastal and exposed gardens. A tough, sun loving plant for a hot bed, a windy boundary or a sandy coastal border.

Growing Queen Anne Agapanthus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with a sheltered spot in the coldest districts. It is tougher than it looks and puts up with cold and dry conditions, though growth slows in both. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens.

Soil. Choose well drained soil that is not too rich in organic matter, and keep the fertiliser light at planting. Mulch the surface to keep the roots cool.

Water and feed. Water regularly through the first 12 weeks or so, while it establishes, then it needs little. Heavy feeding grows leaf at the cost of flower, so keep it modest.

Pruning. None needed beyond tidying spent flower stems. Lift and divide the clump when it grows too large.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Queen Anne Agapanthus as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It arrives as a small tuft of leaves and builds into a flowering clump over the first seasons, so plant it out early and mulch around it.

Availability of the tube depends on our grower, who does not always have stock. A sold out tube simply means none is ready, and the notify button on this page emails you the day it is back.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• More agapanthus varieties
• Frost hardy plants
• Plants for coastal areas
• How to keep agapanthus flowering

Common questions

How big does Queen Anne grow?

The clump reaches about 40cm to 60cm high and 40cm wide, a little taller than the dwarf types and smaller than the big blue agapanthus.

Will it grow near the sea?

It is a good candidate for a tough coastal spot. It is cold hardy, sun loving and tolerant of dry conditions once established.

When do I divide it?

Lift and divide when the clump gets too large for its space. Replant the divisions at once and water them in.