Agapanthus Fireworks

Agapanthus 'Fireworks' is a new variety of Agapanthus that perfectly lives up to its name: its bi-coloured flowering explodes like fireworks under the sun, with blue and white complementing each other on each flower and on each umbel of flowers. Its round inflorescences, of a good size, bloom abundantly in summer on short stems that are insensitive to the wind. Not very tall but exceptionally colourful, this variety easily finds its place in all gardens, or in a pot on the terrace. Despite its exotic charm as an austral plant, it is a hassle-free little agapanthus that thrives in full sun, in ordinary but well-drained soil, not too dry in summer. 

Agapanthus are plants of the lily family originating from South Africa. Several species have been extensively hybridized by horticulturists in search of new colours, more compact and hardier plants, better adapted to our climates. The cultivar Fireworks ('MDB001') was recently obtained in South Africa, and it was awarded the Bronze Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019. This plant develops and multiplies rapidly from a stump with fleshy rhizomes, forming from spring onwards a dense tuft of linear foliage, of a shiny dark green, with a minimum diameter of 40-50cm (16-20in), expanding over time. Flowering takes place in summer, from June to August. Numerous strong floral stems averaging 60cm (24in) high emerge from the foliage tuft. They bear at their tip hemispherical umbels of 10-12cm (4-5in) in diameter, composed of numerous small campanulate flowers shaped like flared trumpets. Each flower is composed of 6 petals fused into a tube at the base, with ultramarine blue at the tube level that widens into lobes of pure white, giving the whole a bi-colour effect of great vivacity. Each petal is crossed by a fine blue line. The foliage of this variety usually disappears in winter, except in the mildest regions of our country. It is semi-evergreen.

Agapanthus Fireworks will quickly become the new star of the garden: with its inflorescences as bright as fireworks that stand out from a well-furnished tuft, it is all you see. In addition to its generous flowering, it has good hardiness, up to about -10/-12°C. This variety will bring an elegant and exotic touch to flowerbeds. It will easily adapt to many regions that are not too cold, especially if its stump is protected by a thick winter mulch. Whether in flowerbeds, borders, large rockeries, pots or planters, the Agapanthus is suitable for a wide range of uses. It is particularly well-suited to mild coastal climates. Fireworks is very beautiful when associated with other compact blue, mauve or white varieties in a clean decor. It is also very decorative in flowerbeds with an exotic connotation, with Kniphofias, Hemerocallis, grasses and Cannas.