The Encyclopedia of House Plants

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Clivia

Family: Amaryllidaceae.

Clivia miniata Rgl.
Clivia Genus of 4 species of evergreen perennials from low-lying woodland, often by streams, in South Africa. Clivia needs space. It needs winter rest - an unheated room, no fertilizer and just enough water to prevent wilting. Don't move the pot when in bud or flower and don't repot unless the plant is pushing out of the container. Clivia
Growing conditions Watering and misting Propagation
Keep the plant warm - minimum 45 F in winter. Bright light - aviod from direct sun after noun in summer. Water moderately from spring to autumn. Water sparingly in winter until stalk is 4-5 in. high. Misting is necessary. Divide plants in later winter or early spring. Sow seed at 61-70 F (16-21 C) as soon as ripe.

User-submitted additions and corrections:

Victoria Welch
USA - TN
21st Jan 2008 		I, too, have a Clivia that was in full bloom when I purchased. It did bloom several times after that but the bloom never got out of the tightly bound leaves. I did repot because I felt that it was too root-bound (roots were coming up and out of the pot). Since that repot, one of the bottom leaves has turned almost completely yellow. I'm patiently waiting to see if it stops at one leaf or not. The location where I purchased said that it was very rare for one to bloom more than once but I'm hoping that they are wrong since mine has had several blooms, albeit trapped in tight leaves. Glad to hear that others have the same problem.
Brad
USA
7th Apr 2008 		They need a chilling in the autumn to flower well. I can be left outside until temperatures are in the high thirties. Avoid frost though.
Beth
USA
14th May 2008 		I have one. I call it an Amaryllis. I have had it for years. I kept repotting it and it never bloomed. Finally after I found a big enough pot and left it alone it bloomed. And now it blooms every year. I usually have about 4 or 5 stems with 4 blooms on each. After it dies out I cut the stem down. The leaves will turn yellow and I break them off. I don't water it very much. This has been very easy for to keep. I love it I think if you leave it alone and let it get rootbound it will bloom if it the same plant.
Nancy
MI, USA
21st Mar 2009 		My Clivia Sits in my livingroom during the winter getting very little sun and watered about every 7-10 days. It has bloomed at least once a year. ( Be patient with the blossoms as they grow, they may take a while to fully form. One time I didn't recognize what they were and ruined them. I often lose leaves during the late summer and fall but it alwasy grows more. Once it is no longer freezing out I take this plant and put it on my from covered front porch out of direct sun. I leave it there until late fall. I have had this for about 5 years. It was a gift, that I truly treasure, from another gardening friend. Clivia's leave do not die back like and Amarylis. for me they are the perfect houseplant. requiring little and giving me beautiful blossoms sometimes twice a year.
Lisa
WA
12th May 2009 		I was given a Clivia from one of my neighbors as a bareroot, told to plant. Put in big pot and it bloomed within the first 6 months I had it. It has also sent 7 new starts from the orignal plant i started with. Mine blooms twice a year beatifuly I think it is tryng to complete with my semi-dwarf tangering tree that podruces 15- 20 small tasty oranges a year. Real nice house plant with low maintance
Penny
Scotland
2nd Jun 2009 		Clivia Lilies need to be 'pot bound' to flower well. That is when the roots almost fill the pot! so potting up into bigger pots is completely the opposite of what you should be doing! I have had a clivia for more years than I choose to remember, but it is only the last five or so years that it has flowered. In that time I have never repotted it, just feed & water when the compost feels dry.I must say that it grows to quite a big plant, it will fill a large windowsill easily!
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