Snowball Agapanthus

Snowball Agapanthus (Agapanthus 'Snowball') is the dwarf white agapanthus for gardeners who want the flower without the sprawl. It settles at about 60cm tall and 50cm wide, half the bulk of the common blue kinds, so it edges a path instead of swallowing it. Clean white heads open through summer above strappy foliage that holds the border together the rest of the year.

Why you'll love it

• Half the size of a standard agapanthus. At 60cm by 50cm it stays in scale with a narrow bed or a courtyard pot.
• White flowers that carry at dusk. Pure white heads read from a distance in low light, and they cut well for the house.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant and comfortable with salt spray.
• Almost nothing to do. Cut the spent stems, tidy the old leaves once a year, and that is the job.
• Bees and butterflies work the heads. Each cluster keeps pollinators busy for weeks through the warm months.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 40cm apart in a single row. At that spacing the clumps knit into a continuous green ribbon within two seasons, with no bare soil between them.

Mass planting and small gardens. Use the same 40cm spacing across a bank or a driveway strip. The compact habit means it will not outgrow a small courtyard the way full sized agapanthus does.

Coastal gardens and pots. Salt tolerance suits exposed beachside blocks, and a single clump sits happily in a 300mm pot.

Growing Snowball Agapanthus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, though it accepts afternoon shade. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. In mild districts the foliage stays evergreen. In cold southern and inland gardens it dies back over winter and reshoots in spring, which is normal rather than a fault.

Soil. Undemanding about type, but it wants drainage. On heavy clay, raise the bed 100mm to 150mm and work compost through it. Poor sandy soil is fine.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer while the roots go down, then only in long dry spells. A handful of complete slow release fertiliser in early spring covers the year.

Pruning. Cut flower stems off at the base once the heads brown, which also stops seed dropping into neighbouring bushland. Remove tatty leaves in late winter, and lift and divide congested clumps every four or five years.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold in two sizes: single tubes, and 140mm pots in packs of ten for larger runs. Tubes are young divisions with a small fan of leaves and take two summers to reach full flowering size. The 140mm plants are a season ahead and the sensible pick when you want an even result along a long bed.

Strappy plants travel well, though a few creased leaves on arrival are normal and grow out quickly. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee. One honest caution: agapanthus sap is toxic to cats and dogs and irritates skin, so wear gloves when dividing.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the full agapanthus range
• How to choose and space edging plants
• Plants that suit small gardens
• Salt tolerant plants for coastal blocks

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Forty centimetres apart for a border or mass planting. Any closer and the clumps crowd each other within a couple of years, which cuts flowering and makes dividing harder.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. The sap is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed and can irritate skin. The risk is low in practice, but this is not a plant for a puppy that grazes on foliage.

Will it survive frost?

Yes. It is frost hardy and handles cold southern and tableland winters. In those gardens the leaves may brown off or die back completely, then reshoot from the crown in spring.

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.