Agapanthus: 7 reliable varieties

Agapanthus are spectacular flowers often found in seaside gardens, particularly along the West Coast and in Brittany. In summer, they display beautiful blue, white, or mauve flowers in umbels that are both graphic and elegant.

As a worry-free perennial, the Agapanthus thrives in full sun in ordinary, well-drained soil that is not too dry in summer. Its lightness and ease of cultivation are real assets for creating a flowering bed or a pot.

Historically, their use in gardens was limited by their lack of hardiness and the small number of varieties... Today, Agapanthus now come in many varieties, and some even show good cold resistance, which presents another challenge: choice!

The Agapanthus 'Navy Blue', also known as Agapanthus ‘Midnight Star’, is one of the most popular Agapanthus. This variety ranks at the top for best rating and best seller at Promesse de Fleurs, and you'll soon see why!

Its light umbels bear an intense navy blue. They appear abundantly from July to August. Its light green ribbon-like foliage is deciduous, but this variety is one of the hardiest Agapanthus, with a resistance down to -10°C in well-drained soil.

The hardy and popular Agapanthus Navy Blue

Vigorous and medium-sized, reaching 60 cm in height and 40 cm in spread, it adapts well both in pots and as a border plant.

→ To learn more about this variety, check out our article: "Agapanthus 'Navy Blue': a cold-resistant beauty"

Agapanthus Blue Giant: the iconic giant

The Agapanthus Blue Giant is a must-have perennial in Brittany! Often planted, it is valued for its very large dark blue flowers measuring 18 cm in diameter that can reach up to 1.5 meters in height. Its height makes it a remarkable plant for borders and backdrops. It creates significant, elegant vertical lines. You can also enjoy its beautiful large flowers as cut flowers.

Vigorous and robust with fleshy roots, it withstands temperatures down to -12°C.

The Agapanthus Blue Giant reaches great heights

Agapanthus Albus: the essential one

Ideal for white gardens, the Agapanthus umbellatus Albus, also known as Agapanthus africanus albus, is distinguished by its white flowering. Its umbels of 15 cm in diameter rise to 1 meter above a ribbon-like semi-evergreen foliage. The umbels consist of snow-white flowers shaped like campanulas. Not very hardy, it tolerates temperatures down to -5°C, limiting its use to mild climates.

The white-flowered Agapanthus: Agapanthus albus

Agapanthus Royal Velvet: the new star

Original and recent, the Agapanthus Royal Velvet is a new star among Agapanthus due to its intense, trendy colour described as 'ultra violet'. It produces a stunning effect with its unique umbels of 10 to 12 cm in diameter, featuring a deep violet colour streaked with very dark blue-violet. The umbels rise to 80 cm above the ground, clearly above the (deciduous) foliage that forms a lovely clump. The elegance of the Agapanthus Royal Velvet is undeniable!

The Agapanthus Royal Velvet, a new variety with ultra violet flowers

Its intensely coloured flowers make it ideal for contemporary gardens as well as for exotic scenes featuring orange flowers like kniphofias, cannas, or hemerocallis.

In addition to its original colour, this variety boasts many advantages with its abundant flowering, robustness, and cold resistance down to -10°C.

Agapanthus Double Diamond: the compact one with double flowers

Recent, the Agapanthus Double Diamond is a variety that combines two qualities: a compact habit and generous flowering. Its main asset lies in its pure white double trumpet-shaped flowers. Grouped in umbels, they measure 10 cm in diameter and appear above a clump of persistent leaves in mild climates. Its compact habit (35 cm high and 30 cm wide) makes it ideal for pots, on terraces or balconies, as well as for borders in areas where winters are not too cold, as it does not tolerate temperatures below -5°C.

The Agapanthus Double Diamond, a small variety with generous double flowers

Agapanthus Twister: the bicolour

The Agapanthus Twister is an original variety appreciated for its bicoloured flowers. Large, up to 18 cm in diameter, its umbels consist of white flowers with a dark blue base. These two-coloured flowers provide a certain dynamism while blending the softness of the shades, accentuated by the green-grey foliage. Medium-sized, this Agapanthus reaches 60 cm in height and 50 cm in width, making it ideal for the middle of borders, behind ground-cover plants, and it can also be grown in large pots.

Finally, the Agapanthus Twister can be planted in many climates as it is one of the hardiest Agapanthus, tolerating temperatures down to -12°C.

The Agapanthus Twister: bicoloured flowers, white and blue

Agapanthus Pitchoune Blue: the perfect cute pot plant

The Agapanthus Pitchoune Blue lives up to its name. All cute and small, this compact variety measures only 50 cm in height and 50 cm in width. Dwarf, it is perfect for border planting but also for pot cultivation, allowing it to be brought indoors for protection in winter, as it is not very hardy and only tolerates -5°C.

Although small, the Pitchoune Blue variety stands out for its abundant flowering. It pleasantly blooms in an overseas blue above persistent ribbon-like foliage. In the garden, it can be associated with or replaced by its "little sister" with white flowers, Pitchoune White, which offers the same qualities.

The Agapanthus Pitchoune Blue, a reliable choice, ideal for pots

Do you have other varieties to recommend? Feel free to share their names with us in the comments!