Clivia miniata
Clivia
Overview
Clivia miniata is an evergreen clump-forming perennial 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) tall and 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) wide, growing from a short rhizome and thick fleshy roots rather than a true bulb. Leaves are strap-shaped, 18-30 inches (45-75 cm) long and 1.5-3 inches (4-8 cm) wide, dark green, glossy, blunt-tipped, and set in two opposite ranks that build a flattened fan. Flowering scapes are stout and flattened in cross-section, rising 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) to carry an umbel of 12-20 funnel-shaped flowers, each 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) long, orange to orange-red with a yellow throat; yellow, cream, and peach forms occur in cultivation. Flowering runs three to five weeks in late winter and early spring, and berries ripen from green to red over the following 9-12 months. Flower buds form only after a cool, dry rest of six to eight weeks at 50-60 F (10-15 C), so plants held warm and watered year-round produce leaves and no scapes. Direct midday sun bleaches and scorches the foliage within days, and roots held wet in a dense potting mix rot. Seed-raised plants take three to five years to reach flowering size. Hardy outdoors in USDA zones 9-11.
Native Range
Clivia miniata is native to eastern South Africa, in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga provinces, and into Eswatini. It grows on the floor of subtropical coastal and scarp forest, in ravines, and on shaded rocky slopes, rooting in leaf litter and moss over rock in deep shade. Wild populations have declined through collection for the horticultural trade and through forest clearance, and the species is protected under South African provincial ordinances.Suggested Uses
Grown as a container plant indoors and on shaded verandas in cold-winter regions, and planted directly under trees, in shaded courtyards, and along north-facing walls in zones 9-11, spaced 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) apart. The evergreen fans hold structure in dry shade beneath established tree canopy where flowering plants are scarce. Container culture works in pots of 3 gallons (11 L) or larger, with the crown set at the surface of the mix and the fleshy roots left slightly crowded.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1'6" - 2'
Width/Spread2' - 3'
Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years
Bloom Information
Umbels open between February and April in the Northern Hemisphere and between August and October in the Southern Hemisphere, running three to five weeks from first colour to the last flower. The scape lengthens for two to three weeks after the bud clears the leaf fan, and the flowers open in sequence around the umbel over eight to twelve days. A second, smaller flush follows in autumn on established clumps. In habitat the flowers are worked by swallowtail butterflies and sunbirds; indoors, transferring pollen between flowers with a brush is what sets the red berries.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Orange to orange-red with a yellow throat; yellow and cream forms occurFoliage Description
Dark green, glossy, strap-shaped with a blunt tipGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Tolerates up to 3 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
The species grows in shade to part shade with no direct sun beyond an hour in early morning, and bright indirect light beside an east-facing window suits indoor plants. A free-draining mix of composted bark, coarse perlite, and loam at pH 5.5-6.5 matches the leaf litter and rock its roots occupy in habitat. Watering runs to soaking and then drying the top 2 inches (5 cm) of mix through spring and summer, roughly every 10-14 days, dropping to once a month through the autumn rest. That rest, six to eight weeks at 50-60 F (10-15 C) with little water, is what sets the following season flower buds. A balanced liquid feed at half strength every four weeks from the end of flowering to late summer covers the growing period, with none given during the rest. Clumps flower more heavily when pot-bound, so repotting is done every three to five years into a container one size larger, in late spring after flowering.Pruning
The scape is cut at its base once the last flower drops, unless berries are wanted, in which case it stays in place until the fruit turns red 9-12 months later. Outer leaves that yellow with age are cut at the leaf base at any time of year. Offsets carrying three or more leaves and their own roots are severed from the parent rhizome with a clean knife in late spring, which also relieves crowding in a full pot.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
late springsummer
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons