Clivia Minata is My Favorite Plant...This Week

I'm joining the phenominal gardener, tireless blogger, and champion of all plants spiky, Loree at Danger Garden in her favorite plant of the week meme.  Click over to her site to see other favorites this week.

I have two Clivias that I got from Wehop last spring or early summer one with solid green leaves and the other with variegated foliage.  I'd heard that they took neglect well and would tolerate pretty low light conditions outside so I threw them  in the bamboo grove and largely ignored them except to give them a spritz of water every now and then.  The variegated leaf form bloomed last fall and the flowers were nice but a little blah color wise. Bless it's little heart, it bloomed again this winter but I still preferred the foliage.

 The plain-leafed variety continued to put on bulk but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I noticed a flash of orange while I was watering the plants overwintering in the glass room.  The sweet thing was budding!  When I was out the other day working on the plant migration back outside, the blooms knocked my socks off with their brilliant color.  I decided to bring it to the dining room table where we'll see it much more frequently.

A few times a week, I pass this house with the huge pot of Clivias on the porch.  They don't like freezing temperatures much so they come inside before the first frost but reappear on the porch fairly early.  I've thought of knocking on their door to say hello but am not sure what the response to "Hi, I'm a Clivia stalker." would be.

I didn't get out my super duper telephoto lens as it might be looked upon as rude to have something akin to a telescope pointed at someone's window but you get the idea, big pot, lots of  handsome foliage and blooms.

Lifted directly from Missouri Botanical Garden's site is this information:

Common Name: natal lily
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Native Range: Southern Africa
Zone: 9 to 11
Height: 1.50 to 2.00 feet
Spread: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer
Bloom Description: Yellow to orange to nearly red
Sun: Part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Evergreen
Fruit: Showy

Culture

When grown in their native range, Clivia tolerates only light frosts, but otherwise is easily grown. Outdoors they are best suited to dappled shade; water them well during the warmer months and allow to dry for winter. Indoors, they give clear signals when they need care. Yellow spots on the leaves indicate either too much water or water in the heart of the plant. If the leaves split vertically it needs more sun. Mature plants bloom from December to April. If no flower stem appears, it means that you have watered too freely from October on. The soil should be kept just moist until the flower stalk reaches 6 inches; then water normally. The plant may then be moved to a slightly warmer position. Clivia does well with crowded roots, but it should be repotted carefully every three to four years. Try to gently untangle the roots so as not to damage them. A warning: All parts of the plant may be toxic if ingested in large quantities.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Clump-forming plants with stocky rhizomes, they have long, bright green, strappy leaves and produce strong flower stems topped with heads of large funnel-shaped flowers in shades of yellow, orange and red. Red berries follow flowering. Clivia generally take three years to flower. The flowers are long lasting on the plant and can be used as cut flowers.

Problems

Pests to watch for are scale and mites. When placed outdoors, they are a favorite of snails which feed on the flowers.

Garden Uses

Clivia can be grown as a herbaceous perennial in warmer zones (9 to 11). It also makes a bold statement in the landscape when planted as a seasonal addition to a perennial/annual border in colder climates. The foliage gives a strong texture to a design. In the St. Louis area, clivias are grown primarily as an indoor plant and it thrives in this role. They make excellent low-maintenance pot plants that flower during the winter and early spring months giving color to an indoor garden.

For more information and great pictures, click here!  Happy weekend everyone!