I haven't grown any here myself, so I can't tell you about specific varieties that do better than others, but I've sure seen a lot of them around various places the last few years. Most of the ones I've seen have been in commercial plantings, usually not particularly well maintained either, so they must be pretty easy and well-adapted. Hope you get some imput from people who've actually grown them!

If you're referring to the blue Nile lily, yes, they will do just fine where you're at. Used to have some in my yard on Galv. Bay just s. of Houston, and saw 'em everywhere there. Should do just fine for you

sea ya
tami

Thank you both, just what I wanted to hear.

Blue Nile will do wonderfully. A little shade is good but not much! St. Charles Avenue in NOLA has several homes with stands of it growing. It's gorgeous stuff in bloom.

Thanks,Michael and Michelle. Great to have all this firsthand information.

Pyrgo

I-bought-agapanthus-3-years-ago.-Never-bloomed,-moved-them-to-a-more-moist-location.-Still-no-luck.-I've-heard-they-should-be-pot-bound.-Is-this-so?-Back-yard-is-a-micro-climate-area.-Two-to-five-or-six-degrees-warmer-than-weather-reports-(Barnett-Reservoir).-Any-suggestions?-Fertilizer?-HELP!-(Please-excuse-the-hyphens,-the-spacebar-decided-to-quit-working.)

Agapanthus are going to require at least six hours of sunshine, preferably more. They will have to be root bound before blooming profusely. They can tolerate neglect but good drainage is a must.

I live near New Orleans and have a section of Agapanthus in my garden (on the South side of my house). They were planted about 3-4 years ago and are doing great. I haven't done anything "special" to them except plant them in Organic Soil. They kinda die back during the Winter and bloom during the Summer months. I even saved some seeds and planted them indoors this Winter and a couple of the seeds are sprouting. Correct me if I'm wrong - I read that it will take about 5 years for a plant to grow from seed.

One thing I've heard is that they don't like being moved. I'm in New Orleans too and have three clumps that have been blooming for me for with no problem. They are in full sun in black clay soil (we call it gumbo down here) with bit of sand mixed in from when we've added sand over the lawn. Very nice flowers. Mike

I live in a New Orleans suburb and have had great luck with agapanthus in big garden pots. They like to be contained and rootbound. However, I have seen gardens in my area just filled with blooming agapanthus. They can take the heat and humidity, thank goodness. I add the potato vine, green and dark, to the pot and it makes a very attractive setting.
Coleen Perilloux Landry

Same post as in another thread....
I have severe Zone-Denial-Disorder and also am quite stubborn and hard headed enough to try do things like growing agapanthus or other SA bulbs in tropics (miami, fla 10B) despite what many experts say.

It is generally agreeed that agapanthus can be grown from zones 7 - 10 but that doesn't mean you can just stick them in the ground and have success.

I really find the smaller plants do best. Mine are grown from seed and kept in very large plastic pots on northern side of house...that way I can move them into decorative pots on sides of front porch when they are in bloom then put them back where they want to be!

They get several hours of light both in morning and afternoon - shaded in mid day. You can duplicate under a small tree, I guess. I water them only once/day, every morning around 5:00 am, they have an inch of pearock at bottom of pot and a 50/50 mix of potting soil sand and I don't fertilize until after they finish blooming.

And yes, they are just now getting ready to bloom again - just starting to show the tips... hopefully will take a pic to post for everyone to see next week. Wish I had as much success with clivia! lol!

Pyrgo,

Agapanthus will definitely take the heat and humidity of the Gulf Coast/S. Texas where you live.

Agapanthus blooms can be a little hard to come by sometimes. Likes well-drained site; likes to be root-bound. Keep it dry in winter, moist in summer. Best to give it a little shade from the scorching afternoon sun.

Not a heavy feeder, but give it a balanced fertilizer in early spring. I also poured some staled maple syrup that my dear wife was going to toss with the Miracle Gro a week ago, and my Agapanthus let out a roar like you wouldn't believe. The blue ones which hasn't bloomed in 3 years and the white ones which only had one bloom last year are poised to break out into a wild party!

Continuation / update of post above....
Agapanthus still blooming after two months of heat/humidity (Miami) still have new spikes coming out on largest of plants, older starting to drop seed all over in front of house. maybe I'll let them try to survive on there own in the ground on east side of house (I move the potted plants back onto northern side of house till next year) maybe I'll eventually get an even more heat resistant strain from offspring that might survive!

Bless their little hearts if they couldn't take heat and humidity. I live in a suburb of New Orleans. They thrive here.
Coleen

yep they gotta have sunshine

Anyone heard of or have experience with an agapanthus variety called Ellamae?

I recently planted a bed of agapanthus (storm cloud). After one week I noticed 3 of them were wilting and yellowing. The flower stalks collapsed and the base of the leaves is mushy, slimy. What is going on? They are planted on the south side of the house with plenty of sun. Some are partially shaded by palm fronds for a little while in the morning. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, everybody, for a lot of useful information. I bought 36 Agapanthus 'Elaine' about 18 months back, and have yet to have a single bloom. Now I know that they are in too much shade, need better drainage, and a chance to develop crowded colonies. The fact that they are from South Africa should have told me all of this. But when you see something at a locally-owned nursery, you assume the plant is suitable for local conditions.

Anyway, thanks for all the observations. Now I know where the Agapanthus need to be moved.

It just occurred to me that Agapanthus might make a perfect underplanting for potted roses. Has anyone tried this? Will Agapanthus be happy with the PH of rose food?

How do you make them root bound? Do you plant them in their pots? I have a new flower bed that gets tons of Houston sun and want to plant some there.thx

Roses won't do well with agapanthus. If you want some blue around your roses, grow some catmint instead - they are great partners in flowerbeds!