Clivia is an ornamental plant from the Amaryllis family. His homeland is the South African subtropics. In temperate climates, this flower is usually grown in greenhouses or at home. This is facilitated by the sufficient unpretentiousness of the plant.
Despite the family ties with amaryllis, clivia does not have a bulb. It is distinguished by a fairly fleshy foliage that grows from the very base of the root in the form of a pigtail and forms a semblance of a short thick stem. The name for the beautiful flower was invented by the English botanist Lindley, named after Charlotte Clive, the duchess and royal governess. In addition, this plant is also called the kaffir lily.
Description of clivia
The rate of development of clivia is average; about 6 leaves are formed on it per year. If properly cared for, a flower can live for about 40 years. The older and larger it becomes, the more abundantly it begins to bloom. An adult clivia will no longer fit in a pot; you will have to select an appropriate tub for it. The dimensions of the small one are quite compact and are up to 45 cm.
Flowers begin to appear in late winter. During this period, bell flowers bloom alternately on a long peduncle. Flowering lasts about a month. The rest of the time, clivia retains its decorative effect due to its long leaves forming a beautiful fan.
Be careful! Clivia is a poisonous plant. Roots and leaves should not be ingested. Do not put the plant in the nursery if you have a small child.
Brief rules for growing clivia
The table below summarizes the rules for caring for Clivia at home.
| Lighting level | Diffused light from western or eastern windows is preferred. |
| Content temperature | In summer, it can be up to 25 degrees in summer, and 12-15 degrees in winter. As soon as the first bud is formed on the plant, the temperature should be increased. |
| Watering mode | Watering with the appearance of buds is abundant, in summer - once a decade, in winter - once a week. |
| Air humidity | Humidity is required moderate (about 40%). The plant quite successfully tolerates dry air, but sometimes it can be sprayed. |
| The soil | You can use a versatile flower substrate or mix turf with half the peat and humus. A drainage layer is required. |
| Top dressing | Top dressing is carried out from early spring to autumn. You can use liquid formulations for flowers. In winter, the flower is not fed. |
| Transfer | Young bushes are transplanted every year, then as they grow. Clivia does not tolerate transplants well. Mature plants do not move, but only renew the topsoil. |
| Pruning | After the end of flowering, the peduncle is cut off. |
| Bloom | The flowering period usually begins in mid-February. |
| Dormant period | The dormant period begins at the end of November. |
| Reproduction | Seeds and shoots. |
| Pests | Scabbards, false scutes, aphids and mealybugs. |
| Diseases | Diseases develop due to improper care of the clivia. |
Clivia has some characteristics, knowledge of which is necessary to maintain the health and beauty of the plant. The flower does not like permutations - moving or rotating the pot can cause the lack of flowering. As soon as the clivia has faded, its peduncle should be cut off at the very base. The process of setting seeds takes a lot of energy from the plant, so in the next season it will slow down its growth and, most likely, will not bloom. Subject to all the rules of care, adult specimens can bloom twice a year.
Home care for clivia
At home, clivia can look no less decorative than in nature. In order for the flower to feel as comfortable as possible, it is necessary to create the appropriate conditions for it. Clivia growing in favorable conditions creates almost no hassle for the grower.
Lighting
For clivia, bright, but always diffused light is suitable. It feels best on western or eastern windows. If a place for a flower was found only on the south side, it should be shaded from the scorching rays. The north side in winter is supposed to turn on the backlight.
Temperature
The choice of temperature for the clivia is considered very important, otherwise it will not bloom. For a plant, a cool content is required during wintering, at this time the room should be kept no higher than 12-15 degrees. The critical temperature for a bush is considered to be a drop to 8 degrees.
With the appearance of kidneys, in the spring, the degree of heat begins to gradually increase. In the summer, it can be about 25 degrees in a room with clivia. With the onset of warm days, you can take out the container with a flower in the garden or on the balcony.
It is possible to achieve repeated flowering of an adult and healthy clivia by artificially creating an additional rest period for it. In summer, such a plant is transferred to a shady place and for some time is hardly watered or fed. After a couple of weeks, the lower foliage of the bush will begin to turn yellow, but a flower arrow may form. When its size reaches at least 10 cm, the flower is returned to heat and light and is no longer disturbed until the end of flowering.
Watering
Homemade clivia should be watered as the soil clod dries. In winter, this is done much less often - about once a decade, or not watered at all. With the onset of spring, after the formation of the arrow, the volume of irrigation is gradually increased. The flower should be watered most abundantly during the budding period. After flowering, in summer, it will be enough to moisturize the substrate once a week.
For watering clivia, filtered or boiled and sufficiently warm water is used. An excess of moisture can result in the appearance of rot on the roots and the death of the plant.
Humidity level
Clivia tolerates dry air quite calmly, the optimum humidity for a flower is about 45%. From time to time, as the foliage becomes dirty, the plant can be wiped or sprayed. A method with a tray filled with water or wet pebbles is also suitable, but the roots of the clivia should not come into direct contact with it. Excess water for them can lead to the development of rot.
The soil
For clivia, a fairly loose soil of a slightly acidic reaction is well suited. You can use a universal composition suitable for flowers, or you can compose the earth yourself. In this case, you will need a double portion of turf with the addition of peat and humus.
To make the resulting substrate better conduct water, small brick fragments are added there, as well as perlite or vermiculite. You can supplement such a soil with the help of slowly absorbing phosphate fertilizers. For example, 1.5 liters of land will require about 1 tbsp. l superphosphate.
Fertilizers
In order for the clivia to look as decorative as possible, and also to maintain its overall tone, the flower must be periodically fertilized. Once every couple of weeks, after watering, a solution of a liquid composition for flowering is added to the soil.The dosage should be reduced by approximately 3.5 times.
Klivia is not fertilized all year round, but only during the growth period - in spring and summer. You can alternate organic compounds with mineral ones. No top dressing is needed in winter. When choosing fertilizers, it is important to ensure that there is more potassium and phosphorus in them than nitrogen. An excess of this element manifests itself in a too dark color of the leaves and the absence of peduncles.
Transfer
It is necessary to transplant the clivia when the root system of the plant has completely filled the pot and the roots have begun to look through the drainage holes. The new container is selected so that it is 2.5 cm higher than the previous one. A pot that is too large for clivia will not work. A little cramped space will encourage its flowering.
Despite its powerful size, the roots of clivia are quite fragile. The flower very painfully endures all procedures related to the impact on the root system. It is necessary to move it to another container only when it outgrows its pot and ceases to fit in it. Young bushes need such a transplant every year, adults - as needed. Very large adult specimens do not move, they simply renew the top 5 cm of soil.
The best time to transplant clivia is in spring, as soon as the plant has faded. It should be moved carefully, trying not to destroy the soil clod and not damage the roots. A drainage layer is pre-laid at the bottom of the new container. The root collar of the bush cannot be buried. This can lead to decay of foliage and stunted growth.
Bloom
The flowering of clivia depends on several main factors. The plant should spend the winter in a cool place, it should be watered according to the season, and after flowering, the peduncle should be removed. Compliance with these rules will allow the clivia to bloom every year. The flowering period usually begins in mid-February. At this time, on high (up to 30 cm) peduncles, inflorescence brushes are formed, consisting of funnel-shaped flowers. Due to the fact that they do not open immediately, but gradually, the flowering of clivia lasts about a month. At the same time, up to 40 buds can be on the plant at the same time.
The color of the flowers can be varied: orange, coral, light golden or carmine. Some species may have a yellowish star-shaped spot in the center of the flower. During the flowering period, clivia looks especially elegant.
Pruning
After the end of flowering, the peduncle is cut off at the clivia, trying to remove it at the very base. Such actions contribute to the further growth of the bush and full flowering in the next season.
Dormant period
A full rest period allows the clivia to recuperate, it is at this time that it sets flower buds. Disruption of natural rhythms depletes the plant and leads to flowering problems. Clivia should be sent to rest at the end of November, moving it to a cool place. Without this, it will not bloom.
During the dormant period, the flower is watered less often and is not fed at all. The temperature in the room begins to rise only with the appearance of the kidneys. Also, keep in mind that larger plants need a longer wintering period. Young plants can stay cool for 1.5-2 months.
Breeding methods for clivia
Clivia can be propagated in two ways: by seed and by offspring.
Reproduction using offspring
Propagation by offspring is the simplest method for producing young clivia of the same variety. It is usually combined with a transshipment procedure. The offspring that form next to the main plant take up space in the pot, which makes the flower cramped. Processes with at least 4-5 leaf plates are subject to separation. The sections are processed with crushed coal and then slightly dried. The resulting material is planted in a separate pot and lightly watered. Perlite or sand can be used as soil. Clivia grown from this offspring will begin to bloom in 2-4 years.
Seed propagation
This type of propagation is commonly used by breeders to develop new varieties of clivia. It takes a very long time, requires artificial pollination, and also greatly depletes a fruiting plant, therefore, at home, separation of offspring is most often practiced.
In order for the seeds to set on the clivia, it is necessary to cross-pollinate its flowers. In this case, berries are formed in their place. It takes almost a year to ripen - 10-11 months. When the berries are completely red and soft, you can extract the seeds from them. They can be pre-soaked in water. Seeds are sown in a peat-sand mixture superficially and lightly watered, then the crops are covered with a film and removed to a warm place. Periodically, the substrate must be ventilated, as well as monitor its moisture content. The sprouts may appear in about 1.5 months. As soon as 2 or 3 leaves are formed on the seedlings, they are dived into separate pots. Such plants will begin to bloom only after 3-6 years.
From the 3-4th year of life, young clivia begin to be sent for wintering.
Pests and diseases
Clivia diseases often develop due to improper plant care. The causes of problems with a flower can be judged by the symptoms:
- Root decay is a frequent consequence of excessive moisture. The flower must be cleaned of the affected parts, transplanted and the amount of watering must be adjusted.
- Decay of the lower foliage and stem - frequent watering, deepening of the root collar of the flower. The plant is transplanted, correcting the level of deepening and removing damaged parts.
- Weak growth rates - the plant is hot or cold.
- Lack of flowering - lack of light, warm wintering. Adjustment of conditions is required. If the peduncle does not appear at all or there are too few flowers, the cause may be a lack of nutrition.
- A small peduncle is a too cool place or a lack of water during the budding period. Watering and temperature need to be adjusted.
- Falling flowers - rearranging the pot during the flowering period.
- The yellowing of foliage in autumn is a natural phenomenon, preparation for the dormant period.
- Light spots on foliage - burns due to too bright light, shading is necessary.
- Brown spots on foliage - burns due to water getting on the flower. It is worth watering the plant carefully, choosing the evening or morning hours for this.
- Browning of the ends of the leaf plates - excessive moisture, watering is stopped for several days or the plant is transplanted into fresh soil, trying to continue to water less abundantly.
- The pallor of the leaves is a lack of nutrients, additional feeding is needed.
- Rolling leaves - lack of moisture, you need to water the plant more abundantly.
Of the pests, scale insects and pseudo-scale insects, as well as aphids and mealybugs, can settle on clivia. They are removed with insecticides, and they try to take better care of the flower.
The healing properties of clivia
Clivia contains special substances that can positively affect the functioning of the circulatory system and increase the tone of the heart muscle. Parts of the foliage and roots of the kaffir lily are used in pharmacology. It is also believed that this plant is able to bring positive energy into the house, protect against depression and relieve nervous tension. Another property attributed to a flower is the ability to inspire new achievements.
Types and varieties of clivia with photos and names
There are three varieties of homemade clivia.
Clivia miniata
Or clivia miniata. Bushes up to 50 cm tall. It has long (up to 60 cm) and wide (about 6 cm) foliage forming a rosette. The color of the leaf blades is deep green. The peduncle has no foliage. Umbrella inflorescences can include up to 20 flowers up to 6 cm in diameter. Their color is orange, with a bright red tint. In the center of each flower, there may be a golden star-shaped spot.
Clivia nobilis
Bushes at least 30 cm tall. It has flat and thin foliage, shaped like a belt. Its width reaches 6 cm. The half-meter peduncle forms an umbrella-shaped inflorescence, on which there are about fifty pinkish or light red flowers.
Clivia gardenii
Long leaves up to 4 cm wide form a tight rosette. It has peduncles up to 45 cm in height, on which there are no more than 15 tubular flowers. Their color can range from light yellowish to orange-golden colors.
Hello, I wanted to know, I bought a clivia, it faded in the store. The trunk remained and a leaf grows from the top, what should I do with it.
Nothing (you probably already learned this yourself). My clivia stood for a year, I watered it occasionally. I thought there would be no more flowers. This year she released 2 arrows and bloomed for a long time and very beautifully.
For some reason, clivia does not throw out a peduncle for me, but blooms inside, between the leaves, what is the mistake, who will tell you.
In my first year it was the same, but the next year, as soon as the stem appeared, I put the pot in a bright place, and watered it with top dressing for indoor plants, the result is in front of my eyes
I always begin to bloom as well, first inside the leaves, and I do not push the leaves apart, everything goes naturally, then the arrow rises higher and higher. For three years it bloomed for me on March 8, in May for my doctor and in October for my husband's birthday. This year, the whole March and until mid-April bloomed. I went to cut the arrow, and there still new flowers appeared - there will be a second arrow. For the first time I sprinkled with water (0.5l) with hydrogen peroxide (1 tbsp. Spoon). For three years I have not fed my flower with anything, I only water it with water and it blooms three times a year.
And my roots were driven away by watering Libya. Not everything, but it has already fallen. So if the trunk is cut off and put in water, it will give roots
Clivia does not throw out the peduncle, because she does not have enough strength to germinate between the leaves. I have it too. you need to push the leaves apart in the spring a little bit starting from the bottom. then it will not grow so densely and the peduncle will also grow.
I took the clivia out into the street, the tips of the leaves were burnt-yellow from the sun, can the yellowed leaves be cut off, or what should I do in this case?
Clivia gave a baby, decided to transplant it, but to my surprise there were no roots, it turns out it needs to be rooted, how to do it, I know from the water that it starts to rot, are there any other ways of rooting the plant?
And I have some kind of double clivia…. Already a whole bush. How to plant these two ramifications, who will tell you? Just unravel the roots and plant?
I put the shoots without roots in a glass bottle with clean tap water and a week ago, two months later, the clivia released the roots. only one extreme leaf fell off from one of the five processes. I will wait until the roots grow up and transplanted into the ground.
Hello, my mom gave me a clivia. There was a baby with a root and she planted it in a pot. I brought it to me, it stands on the windowsill of the north side, I water it a little bit and when the top layer dries up. The lower leaves began to turn yellow, what could be the reason? ??
Clivia never bloomed, what's wrong?
Clivia is well rooted in vermiculite. Take a small sprout, pull on a cropped sock pantyhose or just a nylon sock inside the pot so that the vermiculite is not washed out. Yes, at the bottom of the pot first drainage, then the sock. Lubricate the tip of the flower, where the roots will come from, with vitamin B1. Put the flower in a pot, cover with vermiculite, immediately lower the pot into a container of water, thus fixing the flower in the pot. Water by immersion.
A dormant period from October to March is imperative. In a cold place and do not water
Hello, this is the situation. Clivia's flowers faded and the edges of the leaves began to curl down, what is the reason?
P. S. The faded flowers have fallen off, but there are still blooming flowers in the rosette.