Scientific Name
Clivia miniata (Lindl.) Regel
Common Name(s)
Kaffir Lily, Natal Lily, Bush Lily, Flame Lily, September Lily, Clivia Lily, St. John's Lily, Boslelie, Fire Lily, Orange Clivia
Synonym(s)
Vallota miniata, Clivia sulphurea, Himantophyllum miniatum, Imantophyllum miniatum, Imatophyllum atrosanguineum
Scientific Classification
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae
Tribe: Haemantheae
Genus: Clivia
Origin
Clivia miniata is native to damp woodland habitats in South Africa.
Flower
Color: Orange, scarlet, or pale yellow
Bloom Time: Winter
Description
Clivia miniata is an evergreen, bulb-like perennial that grows up to 2 feet (60 cm) tall and is nearly as wide. The leaves are strap-like, dark green, and blunt-tipped.
As a houseplant, it usually blooms in winter with clusters of up to 20 tubular, orange, scarlet, or pale yellow flowers with a yellow throat.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 9b to 11b: from 25 °F (−3.9 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Clivia plants require partial to full shade and fast-draining loamy soils to produce healthy growth.
Spread a 1-inch (2.5-cm) layer of mulch around the Clivia plant with a rake. Keep the mulch 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) from the plant's base to avoid rot.
Water the Clivia plant when the top 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of soil becomes dry using a garden hose during the active growing season. Keep the soil moist but never soggy. Never water the Clivia to the point that there is standing water on the soil's surface. Reduce watering in the late fall and winter months when the plant enters dormancy. Water dormant Clivia plants when the top 3 to 5 inches (7.5 to 12.5 cm) of soil becomes dry.
Fertilize the Clivia with a 6-6-6 nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium formulation slow-release fertilizer every three months during the growing season. Apply at a rate of 1 teaspoon per square foot of soil. Spread the fertilizer in a ring around the Clivia plant, keeping the granules 12 inches (30 cm) from its base. Rake the fertilizer into the top 3 inches (7.5 cm) of soil. Water the area thoroughly. Do not apply fertilizer while the plant is dormant.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Clivia.
Varieties
Links
- Back to genus Clivia
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
Photo Gallery
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