Unboxing clivias

Since they were first cultivated, clivias have come a far way. A shade loving, somewhat drought resistant flower, they can grow for many years. When we think of clivias, we usually think of the clivia miniata. Dark green, long leathery leaves with orange flowers in spring. Clivias are widespread throughout South Africa, preferring the warmer, humid areas (bushveld, Lowveld and along the coast). This means that the Highveld where we live holds a challenge for the average clivia grower.

Clivia miniata

Clivias don't like frost. Even saying this, there are clivias tucked away all over our town. Hating frost (worst last year was -6°C) just means losing some leaves and then bouncing back in spring. Excluding my silly clivia patch that has gotten it into its head that beginning August is flowering time. I always lose all my flowers. I plan on constructing a temporary greenhouse for the silly things this year and will keep you updated on the success of it.

Even with this difficulty, I added to the garden. I have a few orange and yellow clivia miniatas growing in the shade. To add a bit of autumn colour, I acquired seedling clivia gardenii. Instead of the miniata flower, they have more bell-like flowers. Autumn is still warm enough to not affect the flowers, but getting seeds from the plant is difficult. Although it will survive the frost we have, its seed stalk does not.

Clivia gardenii

Getting hold of clivia gardenii for a reasonable price is not always easy. There are a lot of clivia growers in South Africa. The really serious ones grow the most amazing plants, at prices I cannot afford. Seedlings are always less expensive than full-grown plants, and more reliable than growing from seed. I have had a lot of success with growing clivia miniata from seed, but my experiment with clivia gardenii all ended in tears.

My chosen, reputable grower of clivia gardenii is located over a 1000km away. This means that my seedlings arrived via courier. I am always fascinated by these plants' ability to survive. Bare rooted and place in a box, in transit for 3 days, they arrive still looking fresh and happily take to their new pots. I decided to pot these to see if I could get some seed from them (although I can only expect flowers from them in 2 to 3 years).

Arriving in a box

When planting in the garden, clivia are not too picky about soil. Avoid waterlogged areas, as the thick fleshy roots will rot. I prefer mulching with leaves (we have a lot of deciduous trees which means I have a wonderful store available). Clivias prefer shade and will scorch when exposed to too much sun. Deep shade is also not an option. If you are looking for showy flowers, you will need dappled sunlight or a time in the day (preferably the morning) where the plant receives direct sun. When planting in a pot, I have had success with well draining soil (something similar to a succulent mix) with bark chips mixed in. Most clivias grow in the summer rainfall areas of South Africa, so water well in summer and forget them a little in winter.

Clivias can also make wonderful indoor pot plants. Just give them a little direct light if you are looking for flowers. My plant is in a south facing bathroom next to the window. It has no problem with producing beautiful green leaves, but it is not very excited about the idea of flowering. I have had the best flowers from it when it has been in an east or north window (I have never owned a west-facing window, so it is hard to say how it reacts).

If you feel inspired to grow clivias, you can have a look at the 6 naturally occurring species:

• Clivia caulescens
• Clivia gardenii
• Clivia miniata (most often found in cultivation)
• Clivia mirabilis
• Clivia nobilis
• Clivia robusta

Or head over to a breeder/garden center to see the amazing miniata and crosses available.