Genus Agapanthus
The genus Agapanthus, known as Blue Lily, Star of Bethlehem, Lily of the Nile and African Lily in different parts of the world, is a family of flowering plants consisting of between 6 and 10 species that occur naturally in southern Africa, though they’ve been spread to nearly all corners of the world due to their popularity as garden plants. These are hardy plants, relatively pest resistant and easily propagated. Agapanthus plants grow to about 1m tall. It contains chemical compounds that are useful for a wide range of medical conditions, ranging from inflammation to coughing, explaining why it is so widely used in traditional medicine and folklore.
Incidentally, the winner of this year’s Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year was an Agapanthus bred here in South Africa by another De Wet (no relation, as far as I know).
DeWetsWild 