Is Agapanthus a weed species in Australia?

The team at Garden Express have received a number of inquiries regarding the potential status of Agapanthus as a noxious weed species in Victoria and other parts of Australia. Regarding these inquiries, our Managing Director, David van Berkel, has provided a response in regards to the suitability of growing Agapanthus within Australia.

Agapanthus is a much maligned plant, receiving a heap of criticism in certain areas and rightly so, however also highly respected and sought after in others. In our location in the Dandenongs, we have some pockets where it does spread beyond control, however in Kinglake and out towards Benalla Agapanthus hedge rows were applauded for helping to save homes from some of the fires recently.

As we are a national mail order company, there are considerable areas of Australia where Agapanthus are a great plant for the garden without being a potential weed. In our research, in other areas councils have labelled Agapanthus as a weed through bad publicity when the department of agriculture does not. And of course, in locations like the Mornington Peninsula all parties have come to agree it should be banned.

Consider though, living in a drought area on a large property where you don’t have access to water your garden. Agapanthus is one plant they can rely on to provide even just some green foliage when all around them is dry and barren, and of course the blooms for these people are refreshingly precious. We have customers hungry to purchase Agapanthus in their hundreds for such purposes.

So here at Garden Express, we are trying to cater for all types of situations. We take a responsibility by highlighting that Agapanthus can be considered a noxious weed in certain locations, and advise customers to consider their local area before purchasing, and at the same time we continue to source a better range of Agapanthus including sterile and low risk varieties that don’t self-seed easily or at all. Further, we sell the common varieties as they are demanded by some of our customers.

As contentious and topical as they are, Agapanthus are equally robust and popular. And I believe we are being doing the right thing by all in our approach.