Growing a Clivia Indoors

The Clivia, a Beautiful Exotic Plant

What is this orange beauty, primarily cultivated indoors in our apartments or houses, and in the ground only in the south of France, mild microclimates, and around the Mediterranean?
There are five species in this botanical genus belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, all originating from South Africa: Clivia nobilis, Clivia caulescens, Clivia robusta, Clivia mirabilis, and Clivia miniata, the latter being of particular interest as it is commonly sold in our garden centres. It is native to KwaZulu Natal, a region in the east of South Africa.
These plants grow in these regions in partial shade, in forest undergrowth, sometimes on the trunks of trees, behaving like epiphytic plants. Thus, they are also found closer to us in southern Europe, in Spain and Portugal, planted in warm but shaded conditions as long as the light levels are sufficient.
Clivia has ribbon-like evergreen foliage, reminiscent of that of agapanthus, though it is darker green and has a tougher texture, finely veined. It forms a spreading and spreading fan-shaped clump.
Its sunny flowering gives it all its exotic charm: it appears at the end of a sturdy spike that produces between 10 and 20 flowers in an umbel, shaped like orange trumpets with yellow at their heart. It occurs under our latitudes between February and March (but between March and October in its natural habitat). There is a yellow-flowered cultivar, Clivia miniata var ‘Citrina’.
Although it is part of the Amaryllidaceae, Clivia does not have a bulb. Its roots are fleshy, numerous and compact, similar to those of agapanthus or orchids. They are usually quite visible and generally surface at the top of the pot.

What Type of Pot Should You Choose?

A Pot Not Too Large! Clivia is one of those plants that prefer their roots a bit snug. Choose a terracotta or plastic pot, slightly larger than the root ball. A 15 cm diameter pot is usually ideal for a Clivia bought commercially. If you have a stoneware or glazed pottery at home, use it for your Clivia. It will keep the substrate nicely cool.

Ensure that the pot has drainage holes to prevent water accumulation, which could lead to root rot.

What Substrate Should You Use?

Clivia requires a rich substrate. It needs feeding to establish quickly. An ideal substrate for Clivia should be primarily draining and rich in organic matter: use a mixture composed of universal potting soil, sand, and compost in equal parts. Add a small amount of perlite or vermiculite to enhance the drainage and achieve the same type of light substrate in which Clivia is offered for sale.

When and How to Plant a Clivia in a Pot?

Clivia plants are often found in garden centres during the festive season, much like Amaryllis bulbs. They have been forced to bloom for Christmas. However, it is better to purchase them a little later and immediately replant them in a larger pot to encourage their late winter flowering. You can also plant a Clivia in a pot in spring, when the plant begins its active growth period. **Avoid planting in winter, as the plant is in dormancy and less resistant to handling**.

1. If necessary, soak the root ball in water for a few minutes to hydrate it well if the substrate is very dry.
2. Place a small layer of clay pebbles at the bottom of the pot (about 1 to 2 cm).
3. Fill the pot halfway with the substrate mix, and place the plant in the centre. Ensure that the base of the stem is at the correct level (there should be about 2 cm left at the top of the pot).
4. Fill around the roots with the rest of the substrate. Press down very lightly around the base of the stems.
5. Water immediately after planting to moisten the substrate well.
6. Place the pot in a bright location, but away from direct sunlight.

The fleshy roots of Clivia are actually fragile and should be handled delicately during planting (or repotting).

Where to Place a Clivia?

We strive to replicate the conditions it is accustomed to in its natural environment: plenty of light, but no direct sunlight. For instance, the Clivia thrives in a spot behind a north or east-facing window, where it can capture enough light without being disturbed by excessive heat. If placed too much in the sun, it will signal this by producing spots on its leaves…
In summer, like all such plants, it enjoys spending several months outdoors if possible. Again, it is protected from the sun and placed in a bright semi-shade, or even in the shade in the southern regions of France.
It is truly the perfect indoor plant, thriving at temperatures between 15 and 19°C, and it is one of the few to bloom with such generous flowers, adorning interiors with its orange hues for a good month, fitting seamlessly into both colonial and exotic decors, but truthfully, it blends into all types of decoration.

Position the Clivia behind a window but away from direct sunlight. In a colonial and exotic style interior, it really looks splendid!

Caring for Potted Clivia

If you leave the flowers on the stem after they have faded, they will produce reddened fruits after several weeks. Cut the stem close to the fan formed by the leaves to avoid exhausting the plant in producing seeds (which are not really satisfactory as a method of propagation, due to the slow growth, requiring at least five years to produce a floral spike).

Watering

Managing the watering is one of the keys to successful flowering of Clivia!
Water it more frequently as soon as it sends up its floral spike, once or twice a week at most (the moisture or dryness of the substrate in the top two centimeters gives you a precise indication of whether it can be watered again or not: really let the substrate dry between waterings, as they say!). But from November until its flowering, subject it to a little water stress by watering it sparingly, no more than once a month. At this time, Clivia needs a period of rest, from the end of summer to winter. This is particularly what allows it to flower well again. Therefore, reduce your watering during this period. Yellowing leaves will alert you to the fact that you are watering it too much…

A Summer Outing!

Like a Crassula, this plant enjoys spending the summer months outdoors. You can take your Clivia outside from May (or June) to September or October depending on the region. Do this gradually, to avoid subjecting the Clivia to too intense sunlight which could burn its leaves. The cool outdoor air in autumn will also be beneficial, but bring it indoors as soon as the daytime temperature drops below 10°C and keep it sheltered from autumn rains. Water it sparingly until October.

Repotting and Propagation

Repot as soon as you see the roots coming out of the clump or completely lining the pot when lifted, ideally after flowering. Do not do it before, since Clivia really likes to be snug in its pot to flower well. Choose a pot 2 to 3 cm larger.

Clivia produces shoots at its base as it grows and becomes mature. This gives you the opportunity to replant baby Clivias for free by proceeding like a stump propagation. They are practical for forming offspring to your plant and thus being able to give them away or create a wonderful collection of pots, which will look most impressive for this type of plant! The growth of the shoots is generally a sign that you can divide and repot your plant. Do this between March and April.

Plant them in a 10 cm diameter bucket, burying only the base of the stems and keep them at a temperature of about 16°C. They will start to flower three years later.

Fertilisation

Regarding fertiliser, do not overdo it, especially not when it is in full bloom. Provide it with a dose of liquid fertiliser (such as fertiliser for green plants or universal fertiliser) as soon as it has finished flowering, normally around March, and every month until October when you will subject it to its little period of fasting.

Finally, when the leaves are dusty, clean them with a moistened cotton pad, on and under the leaves, taking care not to tear its ribbon-like foliage.

Getting Your Clivia to Flower Again

Like an Amaryllis whose bulb we like to keep for another winter flowering, we hope that its Clivia will reform this characteristic spike to flower again in a few months. It is quite easy to get it to flower again, taking into account the care we mention above. Avoid especially overheating the room in which it is located. A temperature between 15 and 21°C is beneficial, the ideal being to place it in a cool room, between 10 and 13°C during the winter months, to create a little stress and thus ensure its flowering.
Clivia is a plant with great longevity and with the right care, it will delight you for years to come!

⇒ My advice: my mum, who used to grow about ten of them, managed to get them all to flower year after year by keeping them in a bright, unheated cellar all winter.

Here, placed in a cool conservatory, the Clivias bloom generously

Its Minor Flaws

As a plant that thrives in the warm environment of an apartment, Clivia tends to be overrun with small, white, cottony wax clusters under its leaves: these are mealybugs. The cause is often due to overly dry air or insufficient ventilation.
If they are not too numerous, remove them one by one using a cotton swab or cotton wool, or with a cloth dampened with a bit of black soap (and 70% alcohol).

Apart from mealybugs, Clivia is generally not affected by any other pests.

→ Read also: Aphids, mealybugs: is black soap really effective?