Clivia Plant

Clivia miniata

Kaffir Lily

Clivia Plants, close relatives of Amaryllis Plants, are easy care almost indestructible flowering plants from South Africa. Named after a Duchess of the Clive Family, Clivias have long, thick, dark-green arching leaves growing out of a large plant bulb. The trumpet or lily shaped flowers of a Clivia Plant are 2-3″ in size and can be orange, orange/red, yellow, or cream colored. Clivia flowers appear as a dense cluster of 15-20 small blooms at the end of a long stem. Clivia Plants bloom for about 4 weeks during the late spring and early summer when the weather is warm and the days are long. Clivias are large plants that can grow 2-3 feet tall and almost as wide. Planting a Clivia Plant in a heavy clay or ceramic pot, prevents it from tipping over. The older a Clivia Plant gets the more beautiful it becomes.

These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants.

CLIVIA

Light

A Clivia Plant needs bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. but no direct sun. Direct sun scorches the leaves and ruins the beautiful flowers. During the summer, a Clivia Plant loves to go outside as long as you keep it in the shade.

Water

Water a Clivia Plant well and then allow the top 50% of the soil to dry out before watering again. Clivia Plants prefer to be on the dry side. Pale green or orange lesions on the leaves indicate you are over-watering.

Fertilizer

Once a Clivia Plant after has finished blooming, usually in the early summer, feed monthly with a balanced indoor plant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Never fertilize your Clivia plant during the 4-6 weeks in the winter when the plant is resting. After the plant has rested, feed with a fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small. high in potassium to encourage the plant to flower.

Temperature

A Clivia Plant prefers temperatures between 65°-70° degrees during the spring and early fall. From November to February, when your Clivia Plant is "resting" the temperature should be 50°-55° degrees. A Clivia Plant does not do well in temperatures below 50° degrees.

Humidity

Average household humidity is adequate for a Clivia.

Flowering

Keep a Clivia Plant root-bound in a small pot to help it bloom more often. It is also important to give a Clivia plant a rest for about 6 weeks during the winter in a cool area in order for it to flower the following year. Temperatures during the day should be around 50°-55°F (6°-12.5° C.). After this rest, move the plant back into a bright warm area and feed with a fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small. high in potassium diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength.

Pests

Plant insects rarely bother Clivia Plants. If Mealy BugsLearn how to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky, white, cottony residue on houseplants. do appear, wipe them off with a Qtip dipped in alcohol.

Soil

Use a fast draining soil that has a lot of peat moss and some sand in it. This prevents the roots of your Clivia Plant from staying too wet.

Pot Size

A Clivia Plant blooms best when it is root-bound in a small pot. You should repot a Clivia every three or four years. If the plant seems very top heavy and is falling over, use a heavier pot that is taller, but not wider, to provide some stability.

Pruning

Clivia Plants need little or no pruning. Cut off any dying flowers at the base of their stalk as soon as they appear.

Propagation

Clivia Plants are easily propagated by plant divisionLearn how to propagate plants by plant division at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary and offsetsHouseplant offsets, or pups as they are sometimes called, are the baby plants that form at the base of certain houseplants.Plant offsets can be used to easily propagate new plants. Wait until the plant offsets have grown at least several inches, then gently detach them from the "mother"plant. Hopefully the plant offsets will have a few roots of their own at this point. Plant the offsets in a small container and keep the plant barely moist but never soggy at all times.. Don't be concerned if the Clivia offsetsHouseplant offsets, or pups as they are sometimes called, are the baby plants that form at the base of certain houseplants.Plant offsets can be used to easily propagate new plants. Wait until the plant offsets have grown at least several inches, then gently detach them from the "mother"plant. Hopefully the plant offsets will have a few roots of their own at this point. Plant the offsets in a small container and keep the plant barely moist but never soggy at all times. have no roots, roots will develop after a few weeks.

Resting Period

A Clivia is a bulb plant that needs to rest for several months during the winter. Move your Clivia Plant to a cool (55 degrees), dark spot in November and water only when the soil dries out. In March move your Clivia back to a warmer (65 degrees), brighter location.

Poisonous Plant Info

A Clivia Plant is a very poisonousPlants are a great addition to homes and offices, but it’s important to know whether your plants are dangerous to children, pets, or even adults. Some plants contain chemicals such as oxalates, solanine, glycosides, or alkaloid lycorine that may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, swelling and redness of the mouth, throat, and lips, and trouble breathing. Touching parts of certain plants, especially the sap, may cause various skin irritations. The weight and age of the human or pet involved, and the part and amount of plant eaten determine how severe the reaction to the toxins will be. Although plants may be listed as non-toxic, they can still cause individual allergic reactions. If there is any question after a houseplant has been ingested or touched immediately call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]is an excellent reference to keep around if you have young children and pets. houseplant with a #3 toxicity levelThese are general guidelines that describe how poisonous certain houseplants are. It's possible for an allergic reaction to occur from contact with any houseplant, toxic or non-toxic. If there is ever a concern, call: Poison Control Center: ******1-800-222-1222****** Level #1: Houseplants with low toxicity, may be mildly irritating, especially the sap of the plant. Level#2: Houseplants with medium to severe toxicity. Eating parts of these houseplants may result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties. Level #3: These houseplants are very poisonous. When eaten, especially in large quantities, severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties can occur. Level #4: These houseplants are extremely poisonous. Eating parts of these houseplants can be be life threatening. Every plant listed in our Popular HousePlant guide has a section explaining whether or not it is poisonous and, if so, how poisonous. Amaryllis, alocasia, dieffenbachias, crotons, ivies, azaleas, lilies, and philodendrons are just a few of the highly poisonous plants we use in our homes and offices all of the time. If you don't know whether your houseplant is poisonous, go to Ask Judy on the HousePlant411.com website, send her a picture of your plant, and she'll let you know if the houseplant should be kept away from small children and pets. See colorful pictures and get more information about poisonous houseplants in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants .

How often should I repot a Clivia Plant? My Clivia seems very large for its pot and it is falling over.

A Clivia blooms more and grows best when it is root-bound in a small pot and really only needs a new pot about every three or four years. If your Clivia Plant is falling over, you may need a heavier deeper pot but no wider.

Does a Clivia Plant ever need pruning?

The only pruning you need to do on a Clivia Plant is cut off the dead flowers at the base of their stalk and remove any brown or dead leaves, otherwise this beautiful plant never needs any trimming.

What are brown spots on the leaves of my Clivia Plant? Do you think it might be an insect or a disease?

The most common reason a Clivia Plant gets brown spots on its leaves is sun burn from too much direct sun. Move your Clivia to an area of bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light.. The intense sun is also making the area too warm and probably causing the blooms on your plant to fade rapidly.

Why are the leaves on my Clivia Plant shriveling and turning yellow and brown?

Over-watering or severe under-watering are the main reasons Clivia Plant leaves have problems. Check the soil and see if it’s too wet or too dry.