African lily, Common agapanthus
Agapanthus praecox

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

A bulb plant. It grows 80 cm tall. It grows upright and in clumps. The leaves are narrow and leathery. There are 7-20 on a shoot. The flowers are in a dense group with equal length stalks. The flowers are trumpet shaped and light blue. They are 70 mm long. The fruit is a narrow oval and angled capsule. It has many flat, black winged seeds.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Australia, Britain, Canary Is., Central America, Costa Rica, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Honduras, Mexico, New Zealand, Norfolk Is., South Africa, Southern Africa (country/location of origin), St Helena, Tasmania, Zambia

How it is used for food

The root or bulb is cooked and eaten.

Edible parts

Root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Agapanthus giganteus auct.; Agapanthus medius Lodd. ex Steud.; Agapanthus multiflorus Willd.; Agapanthus variegatus Steud.; Tulbaghia praecox (Willd.) Kuntze;