The African lily (Agapanthus) is also known as the African lily in this country because its magnificent flowers decorate the garden particularly elegantly in midsummer. You can harvest the seeds of the plants for propagation, but there is also an alternative for this type of plant.
How do I grow African lilies from seeds?
To grow African Lily (Agapanthus) from seeds, harvest ripe seeds in late summer and sow them in a seed tray the following year. Provide bright conditions, sufficient humidity and temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius.
The decision between abundance of flowers and ripe seeds
Ideally, you should plant your African lily in a medium-sized planter and place it in a location that is as sunny as possible. Unless they are freshly propagated specimens through division, with appropriate fertilization you should be able to admire numerous flowers in summer. If you cut off spent flowers straight away, the plant will have more energy to produce more flowers.
Growing the African lily from seeds
If you leave the wilted flowers on your African lilies in late summer and autumn, then you can harvest the ripe seeds before wintering. Store them in a dry, well-ventilated container over the winter. The following year, sow the seeds in a seed tray (€35.00 on Amazon) on the windowsill in February or March. Please ensure:
- a bright location
- sufficient moisture
- even temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius
The seeds will germinate after about 4 weeks, and another 3 months later you can separate the young plants into small pots.
The alternative to propagation by seeds
Propagation by sowing plays a rather subordinate role in the African lily. This is not least because there can be around 4 to 6 years between sowing the seeds and the first flowers of the plants grown from them. You can save yourself the time-consuming care of the plants during this long period if you instead rely on propagating the African lily by dividing the root rhizome. Offshoots propagated by division can sometimes bloom again in the second year.
Tips & Tricks
You can tell when the Agapanthus seeds are ripe by the brown coloring of the capsules. These triangular capsules open slightly as soon as the seeds are ripe and therefore ready to germinate.
