Brief notes from “Grow Clivias” by Graham D. Duncan, Kirstenbosch Gardening Series, 1999 (3rd ed. reprinted 2002)

• Four species:
  • Clivia caulescens (develops an aerial stem)
  • Clivia gardenii
  • Clivia miniata (large trumpet-shaped flowers)
    • var. miniata (orange and red forms)
    • var. citrina (cream and yellow forms)
  • Clivia nobilis
• Many inter- and intra-specific hybrids, including:
  • x cyrtanthiflora (C. nobilis x miniata)
  • x kewensis ‘Bodnant Yellow’ (C. miniata var. citrina x salmon-flowered C. miniata)

• All have pendulous tubular flowers except the trumpet-shaped C. miniata.
• Evergreen, vertical rhizome and perennial fleshy roots.

• Grow well in large containers with good drainage, good aeration and high humus. Water-logging must be avoided. Regular watering while growing in summer, less water in winter. Regular feeding is needed, can be applied to roots and leaves.
• C. miniata will grow in rooms in dry air and shade, but will not flower.
• Frost-tender. Outdoors: dappled shade (ideally a couple of hours of morning sun, then shade the rest of the day to avoid scorching). Resent root disturbance.
• Propagate by seed and division (in early summer immediately after flowering period). Pollination may be required. Harvest the seed when the ripe berries have turned red or yellow

• BulbWeb pages for Clivia