Plants in Israel | Agapanthus africanus

Agapanthus africanus, Agapanthus umbellatus, Lily-of-the-Nile, African lily,

Hebrew: אגפנתוס אפריקני, Arabic: زنبق النيل,أغابانثوس أفريكانوس

Scientific name:   Agapanthus africanus (L.)Hoffmanns.
Synonym name:   Agapanthus umbellatus L’Her.
Common name:   Lily-of-the-Nile, African lily
Hebrew name:   אגפנתוס אפריקני
Arabic name:   زنبق النيل,أغابانثوس أفريكانوس
Family:   Amaryllidaceae, Amaryllis family, נרקיסיים


Life form:   Hemicryptophyte or rhizome geophyte
Stems:   Clumb-forming; central flower stalk up to 80 cm tall
Leaves:   Rosette, basal, curved, lanceolate
Inflorescence:   Many-flowered cymes
Flowers:   White, or blue funnel-shaped flowers
Fruits:   Pods
Flowering Period:   August, September
Chorotype:   South Africa


Derivation of the botanical name:

Agapanthus, Greek agape, love;anthos, flower.

africanus, African.
umbellatus, furnished with umbels.
The Hebrew name: אגפנתוס, agapanthus, transliteration from the scientific name.

  • The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.
  • The standard author abbreviation Hoffmanns is used to indicate Johann Centurius von Hoffmannsegg (1766 – 1849), a German botanist, entomologist and ornithologist.
  • The standard author abbreviation L’Her. is used to indicate Charles Louis L’Héritier de Brutelle (1746 – 1800), a French botanist and magistrate.