Family:
Plant Type :
Height :
Evergreen :
Indigenous :

Position :
Moisture :
Soil :
Wind :
Frost :

Agapanthaceae
Sub Shrub
Up to 1 m
Evergreen
Indigenous

Sun
Little water
Sandy Soil
Wind Resistant
Some Frost

Agapanthus praecox subsp. orientalis occurs in Eastern Cape and southern KwaZulu-Natal and is also generally 0.8 to 1 m tall. The whole plant is larger than the other Praecox subspecies and it forms thick clumps.

Foliage

Type :
Colour :
Use :
Other :

Identification Tool :

Simple
Green , Dark Green
Unspecified
Unspecified

- Leaf morphology

It has more leaves (up to 20 per plant) which are not leathery and have an arching habit.

Flower

Type :
Time :
Colour :
Use :
Other :

Identification Tool :

Radial (Actinomorphic)
Summer
White
Unspecified
Unspecified

- Flower morphology

It differs from subsp. minimus by having a more dense inflorescence, and it flowers in mid to late summer (December - February). Flowers are open-faced, pale to medium blue or pure white.

NOTES

Agapanthus contains several saponins and sapogenins that generally have anti-inflammatory (reduce swelling and inflammation), anti-oedema (oedema = swelling due to accumulation of fluid), antitussive (relieve or suppress coughing) and immunoregulatory (have influence on the immune system) properties. Although the precise activity of agapanthus compounds is not known, preliminary tests have shown uterotonic activity (increases the tone of uterine muscles).

Agapanthus is suspected of causing haemolytic poisoning in humans, and the sap causes severe ulceration of the mouth.