Agapanthus Black Jack

The Black Jack Agapanthus is the new star Agapanthus that won the Plant of the Year award at the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show, organized by the Royal Horticultural Society in England. Dazzling, it bears a flowering of almost black buds, which open into silky flowers of a particularly dark purple. Very floriferous throughout the summer, it produces many large umbels on evergreen foliage in mild climates. Its stump can withstand temperatures down to -10°C (14°F). Plant it in the sun, in fertile, well-drained soil, not too dry in summer. It is drought-resistant once established.

Agapanthus are native to South Africa and belong to the lily family. Black Jack is a recent hybrid cultivar produced by renowned breeder De Wet in South Africa. Part of the Everpanthus series, its very dark, almost black colour and floriferousness win all the votes. This plant develops and multiplies rapidly from a stump with fleshy rhizomes, forming a dense clump of slender linear foliage, about 80cm (32in) tall and 60cm (24in) wide. Flowering occurs in summer, from July to September. Strong stems bear large hemispherical umbels composed of numerous small campanulate flowers in an intense and very dark purple, with black reflections.

The Black Jack Agapanthus captivates with its elegance and refinement in the garden and on the terrace. Semi-hardy, it disappears below -10°C (14°F), so it should be placed in a sheltered, south-facing location, with a thick layer of mulch at its base for the winter season. It is particularly suited to mild coastal climates, especially those on the Atlantic coast of our country. In harsher climates, it can be grown in a pot and stored indoors each winter. It adds character to contemporary or exotic borders, edging, rockeries, or large pots. Softened by a range of blue from other lighter Agapanthus or in contrast with white-flowered ones, it also pairs well with Daylilies, Phormiums, and red Crocosmias. Also consider grasses and flowers with different forms, such as elongated spikes like those of Delphiniums, for example.