Agapanthus 'Black Buddha'

This clumping lily of the Nile boasts a unique combination of violet-blue flowers and tall black stalks. The showy blooms come on in summer, adding a stunning accent to the garden, container, or cutflower arrangement. A great choice for a larger planter, 'Black Buddha' actually flowers better when its roots are contained. Another benefit of growing this gorgeous lily of the Nile in a container is that you can bring it indoors for the winter, protecting it from the icy chill of winter.

This African blue lily is originally a native of South Africa and Madagascar, which unfortunately means that it is tender to the ravages of winter. Through cultivation in Europe this species has become a bit hardier, but 'Black Buddha' still appreciates a nice blanket of mulch in the winter. This bit of necessary winter maintenance will be well rewarded in the summer.

In July the black, strap-shaped foliage boasts large umbels of deep blue funnel-shaped flowers. When the sun shines on these stems, it only intensifies the color to a deep, royal purple. This variety of Agapanthus praecox blooms starting in July and finishing in August.

This agapanthus grows up to 2 feet tall and wide (3 feet tall when in bloom). This genus was named by the ancient Greeks; it's name comes from the words "agape" (unconditional love) and "anthos" (flower). And when you see the exotic, delicate beauty of these flowers, you will understand why.

Plant 'Black Buddha' in part- to full-sun in well-drained soil. This exotic plant actually tolerates drought and a broad variety of soils (acid to alkaline, sandy, and even clay soils), so long as the soil is very well-drained and not too cold.

Agapanthus
Lily-of-the-Nile

Planting:

Set out plants about 18 inches apart in a sunny location, making certain not to plant the strong, clumpy root too deeply. The soil should be moisture-retentive, but need not be especially fertile. In areas north of zone 7, plant in large containers and bring in over the winter.

Maintenance:

Keep plants well-watered during the growing season. Agapanthus will bloom best if pot-bound, but will also bloom prolifically when planted outdoors, as long as they are not moved. Occasionally, however, severe overcrowding will lead to reduced flowering. If that happens, divide the plants as necessary; flowers will again bloom profusely after a couple of years. In the North, containers should be brought in to a frost-free environment for the winter before the fall frost begin.

Water should be gradually withheld to encourage the plant to go into a dormant state. Low light and cool temperatures should be maintained during the winter. To induce growth the following spring, put agapanthus in good sunlight and increase watering as new growth increases. Begin fertilizing when this growth has reached 6 to 9 inches and continue regularly through the growing season. Zones 6-10.

Zones:

Zones 6 to 10

A Tradition of Distinction

Since its founding in 1920, Wayside Gardens has brought the rarest and highest-quality plants to the garden market. Wayside was founded in 1920 by two acclaimed growers who came together to pursue their shared vision of marketing all high-end plants for the serious garden enthusiast. Originally located in Mentor, Ohio, Wayside Gardens swiftly grew a reputation for the highest-quality plants and the most sophisticated clientele. In 1975, Wayside was purchased by the Park Seed Company, and moved to Hodges, SC.  The company has flourished since then, growing to become an undisputed leader in rare and unique plant growing.

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Wayside's horticulturists travel the world in search of new and unusual plant cultivars and proudly offer the garden industry’s most sophisticated selection of high quality and rare perennial plants, bulbs, trees, shrubs, roses, vines, and indoor plants. Beginning with ties to the Dutch family bulb business in Holland, our horticulturists have developed close relationships with perennial and bulb growers throughout the United States and Europe, providing access to many rare and unique garden treasures. Throughout our history we have had the pleasure of introducing numerous exotic foreign and domestic plant cultivars to the American garden market. The Wayside collection of new and exclusive plant products is so preeminent that the catalog has long been lauded in the industry and is even used as a reference work in horticultural schools.

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At Wayside Gardens, “pedigreed plants” and “root strength” have always been watchwords. The Wayside Gardens impeccable plant quality begins with selecting only the finest new product offerings with improved plant features and numerous advantages for our gardening customers. These improved plant selections are then grown to our exacting quality standards by garden industry professionals. This produces superior plants with well developed root systems and healthy, vigorous plant growth habits. That is why we proudly guarantee all Wayside Gardens' products to perform as advertised, being of superior quality, true to type, and shipped properly.

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We use larger containers and grow bigger plants than other nurseries, leading to greater root strength. Where appropriate, Wayside Gardens propagates our plants vegetatively rather than from seed, to ensure the plants possess the correct form and are true to variety, like a true double form, as opposed to the single or semi-double forms that may result from seed propagation. Because we employ only the finest and most technologically advanced plant growing methods, you can be confident in receiving healthy plants ready to burst forth in glorious growth in your garden.

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The dry, sparse appearance of bareroot perennials can be alarming to the novice gardener, but in reality ordering bare root is often the smarter choice. Foliage and blooms can be seductive, but the health and long-term potential of a plant truly lies in its roots. Bareroot plants have several advantages over plants in containers—bare roots are less likely to be harmed in the shipping process, their timing is easier to control, and they are field-grown for larger, healthier root systems. This why Wayside Gardens has had great success with bare root plants, and you can too!

It is safer to ship plants in bareroot form because there is no risk in harming new growth, and therefore the plant actually has a better chance of making it safely into the customer’s garden.

And thanks to refrigerated storage, the timing of bareroot perennials can be precisely controlled. "(Bareroot perennials) are dormant," explains JPPA Lead Horticulturist Benjamin Chester, "But as soon as they leave the refrigerated storage they'll begin breaking dormancy." And once the plant 'wakes up', it is ready to begin the growing season in earnest, which means it will quickly catch up to the level of container plants.

The most important benefit of bareroot perennials is that they can be field grown rather than confined to containers. The bareroot Cherry Cheesecake Hibiscus pictured hereperfectly illustrates the difference between a field-grown perennial and a containerized one. Wayside Gardens used to offer this variety in a quart container, like the Monarda next to it. But the Hibiscus was simply too cramped in that space, so Wayside switched to growing it in the earth and selling it bare root. The result is a thick, fibrous mass of roots that used to fill up several cubic feet of soil and which, even in its bare, pruned form would be too large to fit back into the 1 Quart container. What a difference a little space makes! While small and slow-growing cultivars can start well in containers, large and vigorous cultivars need more room to stretch out and develop a solid root system.