Agapanthus Brilliant Blue

Agapanthus Brilliant Blue ('Aga04051' PBR) is a new variety of Agapanthus that lives up to its name: very hardy and extremely floriferous, it offers umbels of flowers with a deep blue colour of beautiful intensity. They bloom for three months, dominating a tuft of luxuriant foliage. Not very tall but well-coloured, this variety easily finds its place in all gardens, or in a pot on the terrace. Despite its exotic charm as an austral plant, it is a small deciduous Agapanthus without worries that will thrive in full sun, in ordinary but well-drained soil, not too dry in summer.

Agapanthus plants belong to the lily family and are native to South Africa. Several species have been extensively hybridized by horticulturists in search of new colors, more compact and hardy plants, better adapted to our climates. The Brilliant Blue cultivar was recently obtained in New Zealand. This plant develops and multiplies rapidly from a stump with fleshy rhizomes, forming from spring onwards a dense tuft of linear foliage, of a shiny dark green, with a minimum diameter of 40cm (16in), widening over time. Flowering takes place in summer, continuously from June to August. Numerous thin but sturdy floral stems, averaging 50cm (20in) in height, emerge from the tuft of foliage. At their tip, they bear hemispherical umbels of 10-12cm (4-5in) in diameter, composed of numerous small campanulate flowers. Each flower has 6 petals of a fairly light blue crossed by a deep blue median line, giving the whole a very blue, quite intense colour. The foliage of this variety completely disappears in winter.

Agapanthus Brilliant Blue will quickly become the new star of the garden: with its vibrant blue inflorescences that stand out from a well-filled tuft, it is impossible to miss. In addition to its generous flowering, it is also quite hardy, up to about -12/-15°C (10.4/5°F). This variety will bring an elegant and exotic touch to flower beds. It will easily adapt to many regions that are not too cold, especially if its stump is protected by a thick winter mulch. Whether in flower beds, borders, large rock gardens, pots or containers, Agapanthus is suitable for a wide range of uses. It is particularly well-suited to mild coastal climates. Brilliant Blue is very beautiful when associated with other compact blue, mauve or white varieties in a minimalist setting. It is also very decorative in flower beds with an exotic connotation, along with Kniphofias, Hemerocallis, grasses and Cannas.