Replace Agapanthus with these 10 Australian native alternatives
A comedian once observed that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who have removed agapanthus from their garden and those who haven't. It is a joke that lands because it's true; agapanthus is everywhere in Australia. It arrived from South Africa and became the default choice as a tough, flowering border plant.
The problem is agapanthus self-seeds, spreads by rhizome and has naturalised in bushland across NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. The Blue Mountains, the Mornington Peninsula and the Dandenong Ranges are among the areas where its impact has been most documented, but the pattern repeats wherever it meets native vegetation. It is among the invasive plants most Australians don't realise are a problem precisely because it is so familiar and so widely planted.
The ten plants on this list offer what agapanthus offers: strappy foliage, bold flower heads on tall stems, tough constitutions and border presence without the ecological cost. If you're rethinking your whole garden, see our broader look at popular garden plants in Australia it's time to rethink.
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10 native alternatives to agapanthus
1. Morning iris (Orthrosanthus multiflorus)
Morning iris forms neat strappy clumps of narrow, mid-green leaves and produces mauve iris-type flowers on upright stems from spring through summer. Each flower lasts only a day but they are produced in such profusion that the plant is rarely out of flower across the season. This plant is native to coastal heathland in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
It grows under established eucalypts, tolerates drought once established, handles a range of soil types including clay and is suited to mass planting along borders, banks and pathways. It is worth noting that it is listed as endangered in Victoria, so sourcing from reputable native nurseries is important.
2. Native iris (Patersonia occidentalis)
A delicate but genuinely tough plant with narrow, rigid, strappy leaves and vivid purple iris flowers produced on slender stems in spring and early summer. The flowers are short-lived individually but produced in succession over a long season, and the purple is a deep, saturated tone. Native to WA, SA, Victoria and Tasmania — it is primarily a southern and western states species rather than an eastern one.
It grows in well-drained soil in full sun and tolerates dry conditions, poor soils and exposed positions well. Plant in groups of five or more for border impact. An excellent companion to tussock grasses and other grassland natives where the contrast between the rigid foliage and the vivid flowers is most effective.
3. Blue flax lily (Dianella caerulea)
Dianella is the most widely available native alternative to agapanthus and the most practical replacement for a standard garden border. The strappy foliage is similar in habit, the small blue-purple flowers appear on branching stems in spring and summer. The brilliant blue-purple berries that follow are among the most striking of any native plant and persist on the plant for months. Compact cultivars — 'Little Jess', 'Cassa Blue', 'Lucia Blue' — stay well within border scale with little management.
It is genuinely versatile: full sun to full shade, tolerates drought, clay, coastal salt, poor soils and root competition under established trees. Mass planting three to five plants together gives border presence comparable to agapanthus without the issues.
4. Tasman flax lily (Dianella tasmanica)
The larger, more robust of the two dianellas on this list. Dianella tasmanica grows taller and broader than caerulea, with longer strappy leaves, taller flower stems carrying blue-purple flowers in spring and bold bright blue berries. It is native to cool temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania and handles the exposed, damp conditions of southern gardens better than most.
It is particularly effective mass planted on slopes and banks where its spreading habit provides good ground cover and erosion control — a role agapanthus is commonly used for. Tolerates frost, shade, clay and intermittent waterlogging.
Removing existing agapanthus: The roots are vigorous and go deep, making removal difficult. The most effective approach is to cut the plant back hard with loppers, then pull the rhizome with a knife, spade or mattock. Do not compost the material as rhizome pieces can regenerate. Deadheading before seed set is the minimum step if full removal isn't possible. For a full guide to invasive plants you might have in your garden, including removal tips, see our dedicated article.
5. Mat rush (Lomandra longifolia)
Lomandra is the most widely planted native grass substitute in Australian landscaping. The strappy, arching foliage is tough, attractive and year-round, the creamy yellow flower spikes appear in spring with a light fragrance and compact cultivars — 'Tanika', 'Nyalla', 'Tropic Belle' — maintain a neat, controlled form without any management. It will grow in almost any condition: drought, flood, frost, salt, deep shade, full sun, clay, sand.
It does not offer the blue-purple flower that agapanthus does, but it offers everything else. The ecological difference between the two is significant: lomandra provides seed for birds, shelter for lizards and insects and deep roots that stabilise soil without spreading beyond its position.
6. Kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos dwarf cultivars)
Dwarf kangaroo paw cultivars — the Bush Gem series, 'Bush Ranger', 'Bush Pearl', 'Bush Twilight' — offer strappy strap-leaved clumps and bold, unusual flower spikes in red, pink, orange, yellow and bi-colour combinations. They provide seasonal colour in the same locations agapanthus is used and the flowers are genuinely spectacular at close range.
They perform best in full sun in free-draining soil and are most reliable in warm temperate and Mediterranean climates. In cooler or wetter climates they can be prone to ink disease, which causes black streaking on the leaves. Choose disease-resistant cultivars and avoid overhead watering.
7. Blue grass lily (Caesia calliantha)
One of the least known grassland natives available to temperate gardeners and one that deserves significantly more attention. Caesia calliantha forms low, grassy clumps of narrow leaves and produces delicate, star-shaped blue flowers on wiry stems from spring through summer. It is native to grasslands and grassy woodlands of south-eastern Australia and is beautiful, tough and genuinely easy to grow.
DavidFrancis34 from Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Plant in drifts of five or more for maximum effect. It tolerates dry conditions and poor soils once established and looks particularly effective combined with tussock grass or morning iris in a border or meadow-style planting.
8. Swamp lily (Crinum pedunculatum)
If agapanthus appeals primarily for the drama of its bold flower heads on tall stems, swamp lily delivers that quality at a scale. Large clusters of 10 to 25 white, fragrant flowers appear on tall stems above broad, arching strappy leaves that can reach 120cm long. It is native to coastal areas from central NSW through Queensland and into the Northern Territory.
It is worth being clear about scale: swamp lily grows to 2–3m tall with a similar spread, so it is not a like-for-like replacement for a typical garden border. It is a statement plant for a large garden, a poolside position, a creek bank or a sheltered courtyard where size is an asset. It tolerates boggy soils, clay, salt, shade and root competition. In cooler gardens it handles light frost once established.
9. Gymea lily (Doryanthes excelsa)
There is nothing subtle about the gymea lily. The leaves form a massive rosette up to 2m across; the flower spike reaches 3–4m tall and is topped with a dense cluster of vivid crimson-red flowers visited intensively by honeyeaters. It is native to the Sydney Basin and coastal NSW and is one of the most dramatic plants in the Australian flora.
It takes several years to flower from establishment and the scale does rule it out for some garden situations. It does need space and a position where its size is an asset rather than a problem. It tolerates poor soils, drought, light frost and extended dry periods once established and is surprisingly tough given its spectacular appearance.
10. Cardwell lily (Proiphys amboinensis)
The Cardwell lily is the subtropical and tropical alternative on this list, suitable for gardeners in coastal Queensland, the Northern Territory and northern WA. Large clusters of fragrant white flowers with yellow throats are produced on tall stems in summer above kidney-shaped leaves that are as ornamental as the flowers. It grows from a bulb, dies back in the dry season and re-emerges with the wet.
John Hill, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
It is not widely available in mainstream nurseries but is worth seeking out through specialist native nurseries in Queensland. It grows naturally in rainforest and coastal areas of far north Queensland and the Kimberley. Plant in a sheltered position with consistent moisture and part shade.
Agapanthus status by state and territory
| State / Territory | Status |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Environmental weed. Significant concern in the Blue Mountains, Greater Sydney and coastal areas. Listed in the Greater Sydney Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan. |
| Victoria | Environmental weed. Serious threat to coastal and riparian vegetation. Widespread concern across Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula, Dandenong Ranges, Surf Coast and Otways. |
| Tasmania | Environmental weed. Regarded as one of the worst weed species in coastal areas of the north-west. Not yet formally declared noxious. |
| South Australia | Environmental weed in some areas. Listed on the Adelaide Hills Council District environmental weed list. Not yet widely naturalised. |
| Western Australia | Environmental weed in some coastal areas. Listed as a concern in Albany and recorded in reserves near Rockingham. Less widespread than eastern states. |
| Queensland | Not currently declared or listed as an environmental weed at state level. Less documented concern than southern states. |
| ACT | Not declared noxious. Some localised concern in bushland reserves bordering urban areas. |
| Northern Territory | Not listed as a weed of concern. Climate limits its spread in most areas. |
Note: agapanthus is not declared noxious in any Australian state or territory as of 2025. Sterile cultivars are available and considered lower risk. Check with your local council for specific requirements in your area.
None of these plants are a perfect replica of agapanthus — that combination of blue-purple flowers, complete drought tolerance and aggressive spreading habit is, it turns out, specific to a South African weed.
But between them they cover every quality that made agapanthus popular: border presence, strappy foliage, bold flower spikes, seasonal colour and a tough constitution. The difference is that these plants support the landscape they grow in rather than displacing it.
keep reading
A Guide to Australian Native Gardening
How to plan, plant and care for a thriving native garden, whatever your experience level.
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