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AGAPANTHUS BLACK JACK

GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
in Plants
Just seen a big display of Agapanthus Black Jack, Chelsea plant of the year. There were about forty plants and I counted ten flowers in total. One did have a flower just opening and you could just see the flower colour which looked stunning. The labelling was poor as is often the case. It did state that it is one of the 'Everpanthus' series, does that mean evergreen if so why don't they say so, nothing else to go on other than full sun required. My thought was to sadly avoid, the leaves just seemed to say I am not hardy.
Do the growers care whether or not it survives, no they want to sell more next year when they have all died over the winter. The RHS must also be aware that they are not sustainable. 
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.

Posts

  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Ithought they all died down and came again the next year .I don’t actually like agapanthus myself I think they look weird . I never heard of an evergreen one .
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @bcpathome The evergreen ones need to be under glass in most of the UK over winter.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Oh right . I didn’t know that . Good to learn about different plants ,even though I’d never get one of those . As I said I think they look weird .
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Looks promising.

    Everpanthus® - Fairweather's Nursery (fairweathersnursery.co.uk)
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited June 2023
    I dislike "branding" of plants.

    AS I said on aother thead:  S Africa bred,  Not clear whether it is evergreen or not.  Clearly NOT black.  My instinct is to avoid.

    My two evergreen varieties died this winter under glass - albeit unheated.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • rossdriscoll13rossdriscoll13 Posts: 234
    @GardenerSuze It’s hardy down to -10 so if you planted in a pot you could move the pot under the eaves of your house or if planted in the ground give it a thick mulch.  The key is good drainage.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @rossdriscoll13 It is an amazing colour very different. I think time will tell on this one.
    Maybe Everpanthus in it's various colours will be a plant of the future or maybe it will disappear as gardeners realise it is a total waste of money.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I expect it/they wouldn't be looking brilliant just now @GardenerSuze, because the Chelsea ones will all have been forced, so 'normal' plants will be further behind. Or have I misunderstood your post?
    It's a lovely plant, and just the sort of colour I love,  but I'm not sure I'd be willing to spend the money at this point. It's the overwintering as well. I don't have enough room in this house and they'd need to be in the house. I could never risk them  in the little growhouse, even with some extra protection. It's the dampness that's the problem too.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Fairygirl  As you say the Chelsea plants were probably forced. I just wish Garden Centres would give gardeners more information when they purchase plants. I know that there is only so much you can fit on to a label but is this plant really hardy? Did the nurseryman keep them in a heated greenhouse last winter?  Who knows.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I would keep it undercover until I knew how it behaved @GardenerSuze. Belt and braces.
    I suppose the alternative would be to contact the suppliers/breeders and ask them. It's quite important if you're able to keep deciduous ones outside most years, but not the evergreen ones. Less of a problem for us here, because they'd all need protection, but I'd want enough info if I was in the former category, so that I knew my money wasn't going to be wasted before I'd had the thing five minutes!

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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