Clivia

Light and exposure

The clivia comes from the undergrowth, so it hates direct sun, which burns and bleaches its foliage. Give it bright but filtered light: an east window, or a little set back from a brighter window. In summer, a shady corner of the garden or terrace suits it very well, sheltered from midday sun.

Avoid moving it or turning the pot when the flower buds are forming, it likes stability. A spot that is too dark gives fine foliage but few flowers, while too much sun yellows the leaves: look for the soft light of a bright undergrowth.

Watering

During the growing season, from spring to autumn, water regularly as soon as the top few centimetres of soil are dry, never letting water sit in the saucer. The clivia stores reserves in its fleshy roots and copes better with a slight lapse than with an excess that rots the base.

The key moment comes in winter. To prepare flowering, cut watering back to almost nothing from November to January: a few sips a month at most, just so the foliage does not dry out. This near stop, combined with the cold, triggers the rise of the flower spike. Resume normal watering as soon as the stem appears, often in February.

Soil and repotting

A rich, well-drained potting soil, enriched with a little mature compost and a handful of sand or perlite, makes an excellent substrate. The clivia does not like mixes that hold water: its thick roots need air and rot in soaked soil.

Always keep a good drainage hole and a layer of clay pebbles at the bottom of the pot. A slightly coarse substrate, close to an orchid mix with added potting soil, reproduces well the airy humus of its native undergrowth.

Temperature and humidity

In full growth, the clivia is happy between 18 and 22 degrees, ordinary indoor temperature. It enjoys spending the summer outdoors as soon as the nights climb back above 10 degrees, but it is not hardy: it must be brought in before the first autumn frosts.

In winter, everything hinges on the cold. From November to January, set it in a cool room between 8 and 10 degrees: a bright garage, an unheated veranda, a cold stairwell. This rest of eight to ten weeks in the cool is the condition for flowering. A plant kept all winter in a heated living room stays green but does not flower.

Pruning and upkeep

The clivia is not really pruned. Simply remove damaged or dry leaves by cutting them at the base with a clean tool. Every leaf counts to feed the plant, so only remove what is truly dead.

After flowering, cut the faded spike at its base once it has yellowed, unless you want to harvest the seeds. Clean the foliage now and then with a damp cloth: its broad leaves gather dust and breathe better clean.

Pests and diseases

The clivia’s main enemy is too much water, which rots the collar and the roots. A base that softens and leaves that yellow from the bottom almost always signal overly generous watering or a poorly drained pot. Ease off the watering and check the drainage.

On the pest side, watch for mealybugs, small white cottony clusters in the leaf axils, common on plants brought in for winter in a dry room. Remove them with a cotton bud dipped in diluted methylated spirits. Slugs can nibble the foliage when the plant spends the summer outside.

Propagation

The simplest way is dividing the clumps. An adult clivia produces offsets on its sides: taking advantage of a repotting, gently separate an offset with a few roots and three or four leaves, then repot it on its own. Do it just after flowering, in spring.

Sowing is possible but calls for patience: you must harvest the fully ripe red berries, extract the large seeds and sow them warm. Germination is slow and a seedling takes five to seven years before flowering. Division remains the way of the gardener in a hurry.

Toxicity

The clivia is toxic. All its parts, but especially the leaves, stems and fleshy roots, contain lycorine and other alkaloids of the amaryllis family. Swallowed, they cause salivation, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain, in humans as in cats and dogs. The thick white roots are particularly loaded: be wary when repotting if an animal digs in the pot.

The risk stays moderate as long as the plant is not chewed, but keep it out of reach of young children and animals that nibble the foliage. Wear gloves if your skin is sensitive, as the sap can irritate. In case of significant ingestion, call the poison centre or the vet.

Month-by-month care calendar

Green Hub tips

• The secret of the flowers: eight to ten weeks cool and dry from November to January, in a garage or an unheated veranda. Without this cold rest, no flowering.
• Leave it cramped. The clivia flowers better when its roots fill the pot, so only repot it every three or four years.
• Do not put it in full sun: it comes from the undergrowth and its leaves burn. Bright shade outdoors, filtered light indoors.
• Mind children and animals, the plant is toxic, especially its thick roots. Wash your hands after handling it when repotting.