Scientific Name
Clivia robusta B.G.Murray & al.
Common Name(s)
Swamp Clivia, Swamp Bush Lily
Scientific Classification
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae
Tribe: Haemantheae
Genus: Clivia
Flower
Color: Orange
Bloom Time: Late fall to mid-winter
Description
Clivia robusta is a fairly hardy evergreen perennial with dark green, strap-shaped, up to 6 feet (1.8 m) long leaves. It flowers in late fall to mid-winter, producing pendulous flowers ranging from pale to dark orange with green tips. The peduncles or flower spikes are strong and hold the inflorescence above the foliage.
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 during the active growing season using a garden hose. 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, phosphorous, 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.
Origin
This species is native to South Africa.
Links
- Back to genus Clivia
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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