Agapanthus

 

Agapanthus, also known as Lily of the Nile, is from Africa, as you probably suspect.It is a beautiful striking plant with that most coveted of flower colors in the garden--blue or blue/violet. I grew mine for years in a pt, starting with 2 or 3 bulbs in a 20 inch pot. Over time the pot filled with offsets and the size of the flowers began to decline. I am always overcrowded in the greenhouse, and so I decided to try them outside. It is written that they bloom better in a pot where the roots are crowded, which may be true, but they bloom just fine in average garden soil, with only a minimum of care. And another coveted feature is that they get better with age. Bigger flowers, taller sturdier stalks,and continue to multiply.
The flowers are beautiful as cut flowers and last about a week. If allowed to mature in the garden, the seed (there is usually only 2 or 3 seed pods), the sputnik type flower spike dries and is a great addition to dried arrangements. Plus not everybody grows them, and they flower in zone 8 in June/july, a time when most bulbs are done and the blue adds needed coolness to the garden.