Specimens of the African lily (Agapanthus) are regularly offered in the plant trade and can supposedly be overwintered outdoors. However, you should only believe these promises to a very limited extent.
Is the African lily hardy?
The African lily (Agapanthus) is conditionally hardy and can survive short-term temperatures in the single-digit range. Overwintering outdoors is only possible in mild climates and protected locations. If in doubt, it should overwinter in a cool and bright place, ideally between 0 and 7 degrees Celsius.
The African lily and its needs
The African lily originally comes from South Africa and is therefore only frost hardy to a limited extent. Since this type of plant can only survive sub-zero temperatures in the single-digit range and over short periods of time, it is usually planted as a container plant in this country. Since the root rhizome spreads to the size of the respective planter within a few years, you should divide it regularly, although offshoots from the tubers do not always bloom again straight away.
Overwintering the African lily properly
The Agapanthus are available in different subspecies that either overwinter with green leaves or pull in the leaves and start the next season with only the rhizome. The ideal winter quarters for the African lily have a temperature between 0 degrees Celsius and 7 degrees Celsius. Agapanthus should be watered as little as possible or not at all in winter. While leaf-retracting African lilies can also be overwintered in a dark place, evergreen specimens prefer bright winter quarters.
Conditions for wintering outdoors
Under certain conditions you can also overwinter the African lily outdoors:
- with only slightly sub-zero temperatures throughout the winter season
- if the plants are in loose soil without the risk of waterlogging
- with appropriate winter protection
Overwintering outdoors only really promises success if you live in an extremely mild wine-growing climate. It should also be in a protected location with plenty of sunlight. If there is no solid snow cover before the first night frosts, then you should protect the plants from the cold with a suitable fleece (€23.00 on Amazon).
Tips & Tricks
Trying to overwinter the African lily outdoors always involves a certain risk in Central Europe. Therefore, you should only attempt this experiment if you have enough unneeded propagation offshoots from the divided tubers due to the strong growth of the African lily rhizome.
