The Nile River floods annually, inundating everything in its flood plain. Lily of the Nile, Agapanthus africanus, survives by hanging on firmly with a thick network of rubbery roots. It grows and blooms in warm weather as floodwater recedes, and then survives through a long, warm and dry season until the river floods again. It tolerates both drought and flooding, although it prefers more stability.
The blue or white blooms resemble fireworks, and happen to bloom in time for the Fourth of July. The small tubular flowers are neatly arranged in big and round trusses on top of slender and bare stems that stand about 2 to 4 feet tall. “Storm Cloud” has darker blue or purplish flowers. Other purple varieties have larger and more pendant flowers (that hang downward from their trusses.
The dense evergreen foliage is quite luxuriant, and is just as appealing as the bloom is. The rubbery leaves are up to 2 feet long and arch outward from basal rosettes. Deteriorating lower leaves are typically obscured by fresh new foliage above. The thick rhizomes can be divided for propagation. Plants known as Agapanthus orientalis may have bigger blooms and wider leaves.
Source: Santa Maria Times (by: Tony Tomeo).
