Clivia tips and tricks
- To get the best out of your Clivias feed them before and after flowering with a fertiliser for flowering plants such as 3:1:5.
- If you aren’t interested in growing Clivias from seed, it is best to cut off the flower stalks as soon as the flowers have faded. ...
- Amaryllis caterpillar can be a nuisance on your Clivias. They start by damaging the leaves and then move down to the crown of the Clivia. ...
- Split your Clivias every 3-5 years to ensure that they don’t become root bound.
- When dividing Clivias try and keep them in clumps of 3-5 rhizomes. This will ensure that they flower the following year.
- Only divide or transplant Clivias after flowering.
What do you need to grow Clivias?
The first thing you need to know about growing clivia plants is that they require rich potting soil with a bit peat added to the mix. Make sure to never repot your clivia until the fleshy roots have entirely outgrown the pot. Once it’s established, a cliva plant needs regular food to thrive.
How do you care for Clivias in South Africa?
During this time (the growing season), your clivia plant will need a lot of warmth, light, water and fertilization. Average home temperatures of about 70 to 75 degrees F and about a ten degree drop at night are the best and will make the plant thrive. These temperatures match the conditions in the plant's native South Africa.
What do you do with Clivias after Frost?
Following their rest period, you can gradually resume normal watering and feeding practices. Within a month or so, you should also begin to see flower buds. Once the threat of frost is over, clivia can be returned to a shady location outdoors if desired.
How do you get rid of pests on Clivias?
How to get rid of pests on clivias Snails and slugs eat foliage, new growth, buds and flowers. Pick them off and destroy or lay sharp objects on top of your soil. Fungus gnats produce larvae that eat new roots and carry fungal spores.
How do I get my clivia to flower?
It is possible to force clivia to bloom once the initial flowering period is over. Clivia needs a cold period of 25-30 days in order to bloom. You can simulate this natural cold period by placing your clivia in a cool area with daytime temperatures at about 40-60 degrees F. (4-15 C.), but no lower than 35 degrees F.
Should I fertilize clivia?
Clivia plants need to be fertilized in the spring just after blooming. Once you begin the fertilization process, you can do so monthly with a water-soluble, potassium-rich fertilizer. The mixture needs to be 20-20-20 at half the recommended strength. It is recommended you discontinue fertilizing over the colder months.
Are clivias acid loving plants?
Clivias are said to grow best in slightly acid soil, with pH between 5 and 6.
How often should I water clivia?
once a weekClivia care A Clivia needs moderate irrigation. It is sufficient to water once a week and keep the soil a little moist. In the winter period it is sufficient to water once every 2 weeks.
What is the best fertilizer for clivia?
20-20-20 fertilizerDuring the spring and summer growing seasons, a clivia needs regular watering but should be allowed to become dry to the touch between waterings. An automatic weekly watering will often be too much and can cause rot. Fertilize once a month with a half-strength dilute solution of 20-20-20 fertilizer.
Is Epsom salt good for clivias?
This can be remedied by using magnesium sulphate or Epsom Salts. There are several different ways to germinate clivia seeds, but perhaps the easiest way for the novice is to simply place them on the surface of a pot containing your seed-raising mix. The mix can either be in pots (not too large) or seed-raising trays.
Why is my clivia turning yellow?
Answer: It is normal for the older leaves to turn yellow and eventually shrivel as the plant ages. Prune off the affected leaves. The rest of the leaves should be green, strappy, and healthy. Yellowing of younger leaves can indicate overwatering: a more-serious symptom.
What is the best potting mix for clivias?
If planting Clivias in the garden, dig Searles Premium Compost Mix into existing soil before planting for healthy growth and water well afterwards. To promote flowering, liquid feed with Searles Flourish Soluble Plant Food every fortnight during flowering.
Does clivia like to be root bound?
Clivias love potbound living conditions and produce more blooms when the roots are crowded. They only need to be repotted every three to five years. You can safely repot your clivia from June through October, after the plant finishes flowering for the season.
Why are the tips of my clivia leaves going brown?
Your plant is called a Clivia Plant. The leaves are turning brown because you are over fertilizing the plant, excess salts from the fertilizer. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough.
Do clivias like sun or shade?
GROWING CLIVIAS Clivias will grow in shade, but may become 'leggy' if grown in deep shade. They will still flower, but not prolifically. Aim for good light in autumn and spring, but avoid strong sunlight in the summer months. Best grown in fertile, well-drained soil.
When should you repot clivias?
Clivia is a plant that shouldn't be moved around too much. It likes living in tight spaces and doesn't cope well with being repotted frequently. So you should thus only repot every 2 or 3 years and preferably in spring.
Why do my clivia leaves turn yellow?
Over-Watering Clivias develop yellow leaves and root rot if they are over-watered. They grow best when kept barely moist in pots with excellent drainage. Clivias bloom more freely when their roots are crowded, so don't re-pot until the bulb starts to push out of the container.
When should I start watering my clivia?
WATERClivias prefer to be kept on the dry side. ... During the growing season, which begins after the "Winter Rest" and continues through October, water thoroughly (until water drains freely from the hole in the bottom of the pot) when the top inch of the potting mix becomes dry to the touch.More items...
What do you do with clivias after they bloom?
After the plant has flowered (April-August), begin to feed the plant every month with a 1/4 strength, water-soluble 20:20:20 fertilizer. Stop fertilizing in early fall. The secret to getting clivias to flower is to give the plant a rest in a cold location for about 3 months in the winter.
Can I cut back clivia leaves?
Once flowering season is finished, cut back the flowers right at the base of the stem. It is also a good time to clean up the rest of the plant by removing any yellowed, brown or damaged leaves. Clip leaves right at the base. You may also want to prune back clivias to prevent them from becoming overgrown or unruly.
Where to rest a clivia?
You may use a partially heated porch or glazed-in patio. Another good place is a north wall in a cool basement.
What is a clivia plant?
How to Grow Clivia Plant. The clivia plant, also known as kafir-lily is a beautiful houseplant you can grow relatively easily. The clivia plant has heavy textured green strap-like leaves. The flowers are smooth petaled, with varied colors ranging from brick red to salmon, red and yellow. It is truly a beautiful indoor houseplant.
How long does it take for a clivia to bloom?
Under home conditions, it takes about 5 to 7 years to make a clivia bloom from seeds. Image by nettsu.
What temperature do clivia bulbs need?
During the growing season, the bulbs require temperatures of about 60 to 80 degrees F. In the winter, tolerable temperatures range between 50 and 55 degrees F. There are 3 or 4 popular species of clivia plants, as well as several common hybrids.
When does a clivia flower?
Your clivia plant should bloom in April, but it may not flower until June or even early July. One note about flowers: some people like clivia for its foliage so they keep their plant in the window garden (or a planter) for the whole year. It’s important to note that this won’t hurt the plant.
When does a clivia plant grow?
It has its active growth period in early spring to early fall. During this time (the growing season), your clivia plant will need a lot of warmth, light, water and fertilization. Average home temperatures of about 70 to 75 degrees F and about a ten degree drop at night are the best and will make the plant thrive.
Can you grow clivia in a pot?
If you want to grow your clivia plants outdoors, remember to place the pot in a shady area of your garden. You may also use it for landscaping. It’s probably the best to keep it in a container. This way, you can bring it in the house before the first frost.
Where does clivia grow?
Growing Clivia – Care For Clivia Plant. Clivia plants are native to South Africa and have become quite popular with collectors. These unusual plants derived their name from the Lady Florentina Clive and are so exquisite that they fetch a hefty price—upwards of $50 or more per plant.
What is the color of a clivia?
The attraction to clivia plants can be found in their stunning blooms, which vary in color from pale orange to red. The fragrant, trumpet-like flowers are similar to that of amaryllis but smaller. Unlike the amaryllis, clivias retain their foliage year-round.
How long does it take for a clivia to bloom?
Although difficult to propagate, division is the preferred method. While you can propagate from seed, it generally takes about three to five years before plants will bloom whereas offshoots take about one or two years. Printer Friendly Version. This article was last updated on 07/26/21. Read more about Clivia.
When do clivias bloom?
Following a dry rest period in fall, clivias usually begin blooming in winter—around February give or take. Without this period of rest, the plant will continue to put out foliage rather than flowers. These plants also bloom better when slightly potbound.
How to get the best out of a clivia?
To get the best out of your Clivias feed them before and after flowering with a fertiliser for flowering plants such as 3:1:5. If you aren’t interested in growing Clivias from seed, it is best to cut off the flower stalks as soon as the flowers have faded. This will help your Clivia conserve energy that can rather be used for flowering and growing.
What are the traits of a clivia?
Some of the traits that breeders look for include larger blooms, variegation, different flower colours and even different leaf arrangements. Some of the hybrids sell for exorbitant prices due to their rarity.
Can clivias be planted in containers?
Clivias prefer being planted in large drifts under evergreen trees or shady areas. They can easily be planted with other shade plants. Clivias also work great in containers, which enables one to move them around. They dislike the hot afternoon sun which can burn their leaves.
What color should I plant clivias in my garden?
Pot up regularly until they are strong enough for your garden bed. Be bold and mix orange and purple by creating a border of clivias and back them up with giant cranesbills (Geranium maderense) with their fabulous fern-like foliage. Getty.
When should I divide clivias?
How to divide clivias. To ensure you plants stay healthy and blooming, replant every four to five years in late spring or early summer when they’ve finished flowering. This is also a good time to divide them or separate the offsets so you can double your stock.
How long does it take for a clivia to grow?
Clivias are slow growers and it can take up to five years for a seed to grow into a flowering plant. Keep in a warm, protected, ventilated spot out of direct sunlight. Water in spring and summer, ensuring soil is damp but not wet and fertilise every couple of weeks.
What plants are similar to clivias?
Foamflower ( Tiarella sp) Ajuga sp. Lilyturf ( Liriope sp) The leaves of all these plants provide a striking contrast to clivias. Go for a mass display of clivias so you aren't providing different care for different plants - but mix up your colours with red, orange and yellow. Getty.
When do clivias come out?
How to grow clivias from seed. The big red or yellow berries (it depends on flower colour) arrive in early spring as flowering dies down. You can pick the berries then and remove the flesh around the dark, pearl-like seeds.
What caterpillars eat greens?
Ditto for white fly and thrips. The black and yellow striped amaryllis caterpillar is hungry for greens. Pick them off and destroy or use an organic pesticide. Mealybugs, aphids, scale and mites thrive in warm, damp conditions and suck the vital sap juices from your plants.
What do snails eat?
Snails and slugs eat foliage, new growth, buds and flowers. Pick them off and destroy or lay sharp objects on top of your soil. Fungus gnats produce larvae that eat new roots and carry fungal spores. Use yellow sticky card traps to attract adults. Ditto for white fly and thrips.
Where to grow clivia
Grow clivia as a house plant, in a conservatory, or a greenhouse that’s heated in winter. Clivia needs a minimum temperature of 5°C and may suffer frost damage at lower temperatures. Site clivia in bright light but out of direct sunlight and avoid placing in hot centrally-heated rooms or close to heat sources such as a radiator or fire.
Caring for clivia
Adjusting watering to the season and giving the plant a ‘rest’ over winter is key to getting clivia to flower every year.
How and when to repot clivia
Clivia needs repotting only once the existing pot is full of roots. Move up to the next pot size only, gradually increasing the size over time. Ultimately, clivia thrives in a good-sized pot of at least 20cm in diameter.
How to propagate clivia
Raise new clivia plants either from seed or by cutting off outer sections of the plant, known as offsets. Propagated plants can take several years to produce flowers
Growing clivia: problem solving
Siting your clivia in the right location and paying attention to watering, avoids most potential problems. Brown patches, tips, or edges to the leaves are caused either by sun scorch, too little water, or by frost. Always take care not to over-water, and in particular, letting the plant sit in water which can cause the fleshy roots to rot.
How long does it take for a clivia to bloom?
It is possible to force clivia to bloom once the initial flowering period is over. Clivia needs a cold period of 25-30 days in order to bloom.
When does clivia bloom?
Once owned only by the wealthy, clivia is now available for sale in many greenhouses. Clivia may catch your eye due to its beautiful blooms in February and March when little else is blooming.
Quick Start Guide To Growing Clivias
Clivias grow best in temperature ranges from 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 21 degrees Celsius). They need protection from frost in cold areas.
In Which Hardiness Zones Can You Grow Clivias?
Clivias grow best in USDA hardiness zones 9 through to 11. They originate from South Africa, so they prefer warmer temperatures. Their ideal temperature range is from 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 21 degrees Celsius).
What Soil Is Best For Growing Clivias?
Because clivias grow naturally beneath trees in forested areas, they prefer soil that has a lot of organic matter added. The soil pH should be between 5 and 6, so slightly on the acidic side.
Where Should You Plant Your Clivia?
Clivias grown outdoors in temperate climates should be planted in well-drained soil in a spot that receives shade in the afternoon. When used as landscape plants, clivias are often planted under tall growing trees that let a little dappled sunlight through.
How Much Water Do Clivias Need?
Clivias need adequate water during spring, summer, and fall but can be left quite dry during the winter months when they are dormant. In the warm weather, you can water your plants once or twice a week but slow this down to around once a month in winter.
How To Fertilize Your Clivias
Clivias need regular feeding in the warmer months. During spring and summer, give your plants a liquid fertilizer every two weeks. This will encourage strong growth and allow the tubers to store up enough energy to produce their flowers late in winter.
What To Do Once The Plant Has Finished Flowering
Once all the blooms are spent, you should cut back the flower stems right at the base of the plant. This is also a great time to give your plant a general clean-up by removing any yellowing or damaged leaves.
