African-lily
Agapanthus praecox
Synonyms: Agapanthus praecox subsp. orientalis, Agapanthus comptonii subsp. longitubis, Agapanthus umbellatus var. minimus, Agapanthus multiflorus, Agapanthus umbellatus maximus, Agapanthus umbellatus var. variegatus, Agapanthus umbellatus var. maximus, Agapanthus tuberosus, Agapanthus orientalis, Agapanthus umbellatus var. excelsus, Agapanthus giganteus, Agapanthus umbellatus flore-pleno, Tulbaghia africana f. praecox, Agapanthus comptonii, Agapanthus variegatus, Agapanthus umbellatus var. multiflorus, Agapanthus umbellatus var. giganteus, Agapanthus longispathus, Agapanthus africanus var. maximus, Agapanthus africanus var. minimus, Agapanthus umbellatus maximus-albus, Agapanthus umbellatus var. pallidus, Agapanthus umbellatus intermedius, Agapanthus umbellatus var. aureus, Agapanthus umbellatus var. praecox, Agapanthus umbellatus variegatus, Agapanthus umbellatus albus, Agapanthus praecox subsp. minimus, Tulbaghia praecox
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Botanical Description
Agapanthus praecox Willd. (Amaryllidaceae), the common African-lily, is a stout evergreen rhizomatous perennial native to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa and now one of the most widely cultivated ornamentals of warm-temperate gardens worldwide. Plants form dense clumps from short fleshy horizontal rhizomes bearing thick white contractile roots. The strap-shaped basal leaves are arching, glossy mid-green, 30-70 cm long and 2-5 cm wide, two-ranked and arranged in a fan-like rosette. A robust solid scape 60-120 cm tall arises from each rosette in summer and is crowned by a large terminal umbel of 30-100 funnel-shaped flowers; each flower is 3-5 cm long with six tepals fused at the base, pale to deep blue (rarely white in horticultural forms) and held on slender pedicels. The fruit is a three-locular dehiscent capsule containing many flat black winged seeds.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional American Uses
Not native to the Americas. Among the Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho and other southern African peoples the rhizome and roots of Agapanthus praecox (isicakathi, ubani) are widely used in traditional medicine: decoctions are taken by pregnant women in the last weeks of pregnancy to ease labour, to treat heart complaints, chest pains, coughs and colds, and as a protective charm; the leaves are applied as a poultice to swollen feet (Hutchings et al., 1996; Van Wyk, Van Oudtshoorn and Gericke, 2009).
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.