Although the African lily is not hardy outdoors in Central Europe, it usually requires relatively little care as a container plant in the right location. The propagation of the flowering plant with the spherical inflorescences is not particularly complicated if you choose the right approach.

Growing African lilies from seed

At the end of the summer flowering period, the withered inflorescences of the African lily are usually cut off relatively quickly for visual reasons. However, you have to leave the flowers of the plant longer if you want to harvest seeds intended for propagation. The seeds are ripe as soon as the individual fruit pods turn yellow and open slightly. The seeds of the Agapanthus can then be grown on the window sill from February at consistently warm temperatures and with sufficient moisture and placed individually in pots outdoors by the end of April.

Advantages of propagation by rhizome division over seed

After sowing African lily seeds, it can take up to four years, depending on the location and care, for the young plants to flower for the first time. African lilies propagated by rhizome division rarely flower in the first year, but often the specimens propagated in this way can produce flowers as early as the second year. Overall, the following factors speak in favor of propagation by rhizome division:

  • the offshoots obtained in this way are sown faster than seedlings
  • African lilies propagated from tubers require less care than seedlings
  • the African lily has to be divided every few years anyway due to the tuber growth as a container plant

The right time for propagation

Wintering out the plants in spring is the best time to propagate the African lily by dividing the tubers. In any case, it doesn't hurt to provide a well-draining, loose plant substrate and long-term fertilization with mixed compost when repotting the African lily.

tips and tricks

Since the African lily does not bloom again immediately when propagated by dividing the rhizome, you should divide several specimens in alternating years. In addition to regrowing African lilies, there are always flowering plants in your garden.

Category:

Vegetable garden