Monroe County Master Gardener Association

by Chris E.

Several years ago, our Master Gardener friend, Mrs. Olga Einfalt presented a lecture on Clivia to our group.   Along with all the knowledge that she imparted to us, she also gave us a small, 1/2″ Clivia bulb.  She helped us plant it in a small pot with a topping of course builders sand.  Well, many years later that tiny bulb is still producing lovely blooms!  Some years it blooms in the midst of winter, i.e. January or February.  This year it started blooming in March and is still bringing a smile to my face.

Thanks to the Chicago Botanical Garden for explaining that Clivia is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants native to southern Africa in the Amaryllis (onion) family. The vibrant orange to reddish flowers make it a stand out. Clivia miniata is a wonderful flowering plant, equal to, but more unusual than an amaryllis or a Christmas cactus. When given a month of cool night temperatures in autumn, followed by a six-to-eight-week rest period with very little water, a clivia plant will produce dense clusters of orange, lilylike flowers. Even when not in bloom clivia is an attractive foliage plant with straplike, dark green leaves; normally blemish free, unless your cat decides to take a bite!  Take note, this plant does have low severity poison characteristics with the bulb being the most poisonous part.