Agapanthus

Agapantuc (Agapantus), or " African lily " refers to the lily family and originates from South Africa. The complex plant name " agapanthus " is composed of two Greek words : "agape" (" Love" ) and "anthos" (" Flower" ) .The long-term evergreen agapanthus has a thick rhizome with fleshy roots and develops dense basal rosette of long (up to 70 cm) narrow (2 to 5 cm) remnevidnyh leaves. Beautiful rosette of leaves reach a height of 70 cm, they are very attractive , so often grown agapanthus and valued as kadochnoe plant , effectively , and without looking flowering.
From July to late autumn over rosettes of smooth dark green leaves appear high agapanthus bare stalks , which are placed at the ends of large ( diameter 20 cm) ball-shaped umbrella with funnel-shaped flowers of the inflorescence . Height peduncle usually 60-100 cm, under favorable conditions, up to 1.5 meters. Each inflorescence developed , powerful plants can form up to 150 flowers about 5 cm long : Sky blue, white or cream-colored , cut florets Agapanthus remain in the water for about two weeks. Ripening on the plant for a month and a half after flowering flat winged seeds ( black or brown ) are enclosed in a box .
There are numerous garden hybrids and forms an umbrella Agapanthus (A. umbellatus), Agapanthus African (A. africanus), less large agapanthus campanulate (A. campanulatus). Bell- agapanthus is considered the best for growing under adverse conditions; variety Isis with large lavender flowers , variety Albus - with white flowers , variety Variegatus - undersized with white stripes on the leaves.Agapanthus can be cultivated in the closed and open field , and in the warmer months, a container with a plant it is desirable to make the garden. When grown in the open ground agapanthus is more compact , and many-flowered inflorescence , longer and stronger stalks , more spreading rosette of leaves .
Agapanthus quite unpretentious , in the summer he needs in a warm light content. For him, preferably neutral or slightly alkaline soil fertilized with sufficient organic content in a protected sunny position. Agapanthus zharostoek drought resistant and does not require spraying. However, regular abundant irrigation during drought it is developing more actively , not losing elegant and decorative flowers . It is durable, can grow in one place in the garden to 7 years.Outdoors agapanthus successfully overwinter only in warm regions , provided the shelter for the winter a layer of sand or sawdust (about 15 cm) and spruce branches . In the colder regions of agapanthus dug in autumn garden , trying not to damage the fleshy roots, and stored until spring to plant cool .
Grown indoors agapanthus virtually no rest . The plant is planted in a container with good drainage in winter contain in the cool (6-12 degrees, no higher than 15 degrees) , occasionally slightly wetting the soil, so as not to have dried roots. In the early spring container with agapanthus exhibited in a sunny place and begin to regularly watered, and then feed .Agapanthus transplanted in the spring : young potted - annually , mature plants in containers - 2-3 years old large specimens at least - in 4-5 years. Agapanthus planted in the nutrient mixture of clay and turf, humus , leaf soil and sand in the ratio ( 2:2:1:1 ) . During the active growing season agapanthus from April to October each decade has been systematically feeding ( alternately with mineral and organic fertilizers ) , promotes good growth and abundant flowering.
Agapanthus propagated by division of rhizomes , seeds . Sowing seeds for seedlings is usually held in March. Agapanthus can divide the rhizomes after flowering or when transplanting , it is important to take care of during the division of damage fleshy roots. Seating division and too overgrown roots in the garden ( at a distance of about half a meter apart) carried out in March and April, and mulching the soil around the plants after planting.