When to plant and prune Agapanthus (African lily)
Agapanthus (African lily) flowers from early July to mid September and the dates below cover planting, flowering and the pruning window.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Agapanthus (African lily) is grown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the same dates apply across the whole UK and every region below reads the same. Where a plant’s timings do follow the frost, Plot shifts them from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| South Coast and Channel | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| South East and Home Counties | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| East Anglia | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| Wales and West Coast | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| Northern England | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| Northern Ireland | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | late March to late April | early July to mid September | late August to late October |
Growing notes
Borderline hardy in colder parts of the UK: the deciduous types are the hardiest, while evergreen kinds are more tender and need winter protection. It flowers well when slightly pot-bound, which makes it a natural container plant on a sunny patio.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 45 cm between plants
- Eventual height
- 100 cm
- Eventual spread
- 50 cm
- Hardiness
- H4
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- No
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 15 litres or more
- Balcony rating
- 4 out of 5
Feeding
High-potassium liquid feed every couple of weeks through the growing season, especially in containers.
Pruning group
Deadhead at the base as flowers fade, then remove the flowered stems and yellowing leaves of deciduous types in autumn.
Winter protection
Wrap crowns in two or three layers of fleece from November until early April; in cold gardens mulch 15-23cm deep over the crowns in autumn and remove it in spring. Evergreen types are best overwintered in a cool greenhouse.
What usually goes wrong
- agapanthus gall midge
- poor flowering from drought, shade or cold
- viruses
- rot in waterlogged soil
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for agapanthus (african lily).