Among the plants that at first glance evoke associations with luxurious bouquets, clivia is one of the most noticeable. From its massive and graceful at the same time inflorescences against the background of dark shiny leaves just do not take your eyes off. With such a striking appearance, it is simply surprising that the clivia remained unfashionable for a long time. Careful care and adherence to all recommendations for the conditions are mandatory for her. But on the other hand, you cannot find such a spectacular long-liver among indoor plants. How to care for clivia at home, I will tell you in my article.
Clivia is an indoor long-liver among beautifully blooming
Contents:
Description of the plant and types of indoor clivia
Clivias have long been considered obsolete and purely greenhouse plants, but today they are gaining popularity again in indoor culture. This is one of the most original plants among beautifully flowering indoor plants and one of the brightest exotic plants.
Also known as kaffir lily, representatives of the Amaryllis family clivias are controversial. This plant is literally overgrown with myths. Even the clivia belongs to rhizome perennials or bulbous plants.
Clivias have a thickened, shortened rhizome that resembles a daylily and do not form bulbs. Specific clivias reach a height of 80 cm, modern varieties and hybrids are much more compact.
Arranged in two rows, belt-shaped or oar-shaped, rather long and wide leaves form false stems. Up to 60 cm long, clivia leaves are reminiscent of daylilies. But, thanks to the rich color and density, giving the leaves a slight arched bend, they win in comparison. Plants have a very effective glossy sheen.
Clivias can surprise many, but first of all – their longevity. Clivia can please 40 years or more under the right growing conditions!
Despite the classic flowering period from late February to May, clivia often blooms a little later, in March. On strong, powerful peduncles, umbrellas of inflorescences rise above the leaves. Young clivias produce one or more peduncles, but old overgrown plants, especially after the first decade, are able to please fifty peduncles per season.
Up to 60 large funnel-shaped flowers are collected in clivium-umbrella inflorescences. The graceful bells are very elegant. After flowering, large berry-like fruits are tied.
The yellow-orange hues of clivia flowers are reminiscent of summer fruits. Creamy, apricot, melon, pinkish peach, cinnabar pink clivias always look sunny and dazzlingly bright.
Clivias belong to the poisonous houseplants, which require protection of the skin from any contact with sap during work.
Types of indoor clivia
Clivia cinnabar, or Clivia orange (Clivia miniata) Is the most common and brightest type of clivia. Belt-shaped leaves with a very dark shade of color are striking in their beauty. But this species is appreciated for flowering – massive yellow, orange or light red inflorescences of large flowers.
Clivia noble (Clivia nobilis) differs only in elongated tubular drooping flowers of predominantly pink color.
Clivia cinnabar, or Clivia orange (Clivia miniata). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Nasr Habib Abdalla
Clivia nobilis. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Ghassen Labidi
Growing conditions for indoor clivia
Clivia does not fully bloom without a cool wintering. The rest of the requirements for the conditions should also not be ignored: Clivia prefers stability in everything and does not like to be touched again.
Lighting and placement of clivia
Clivia is light-requiring and will not bloom normally in shade. But the plant does not tolerate direct sunlight, especially in summer. Klivia is placed in places with diffused lighting, near windows, but not necessarily on window sills.
When choosing a place for clivia, you need to rely on consistency: clivia hates even small changes and “anxiety.” It is not recommended to even slightly displace the pot with the plant, and moving to a new place can even cause considerable problems. Does not like clivia and unnecessary touches, too frequent “grazing”, turning and tightness: the leaves of the plant should not touch walls, windows or surfaces.
Temperature control and ventilation
Clivia prefers coolness, she should spend the winter in a room with an air temperature of no higher than 15 degrees. The ideal temperature range for the resting period is from 8 to 12 degrees Celsius (from September to January). But even in summer, she does not tolerate heat well. A temperature between 16 and 20 degrees is the best option.
In summer, clivia can be taken out into the fresh air, placed in partial shade and shade. And even in winter, rooms should be ventilated regularly. If there is no temperature difference, clivia tolerates light drafts well.
Klivia is placed in places with diffused lighting, near windows, but not necessarily on window sills. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com 花 管家
Home care for clivia
Watering is not in vain considered the key to the annual abundant flowering of clivia. Without the correct stable soil moisture, clivia will be capricious and bloom sparsely, and even a cool wintering will not work without changing the schedule and method of irrigation.
Watering and air humidity
Watering for clivia should be appropriate for the stage of plant development. From the moment when the peduncle reaches 15 cm in height and until autumn, the clivia is watered abundantly and often. They do not allow dampness, but maintain a stable humidity with drying of the upper layer of the substrate.
But from autumn until the moment when the peduncle begins to grow, clivia in the cool can not be watered at all. If the air temperature exceeds optimal values, the clivia is watered very carefully and rarely. During the dormant period, she needs light moisture, you can simply spray the plant with a spray bottle to lightly moisten the soil and leaves.
The higher the temperature, the more watering is increased, still allowing the substrate to dry up to a third of the depth. As soon as the peduncle grows to 15 cm, the clivia is again watered abundantly, without smooth transitions. The water temperature for clivia should be slightly warmer than the air in the room. Do not leave water in the pallets even for a few minutes.
Clivia dislikes only very dry air, the proximity of heating devices or air conditioners. She is quite content with sprays that maintain average performance, and does not need humidifiers.
Clivia leaves are best kept clean by gently wiping off the dust with a damp sponge. Too often and aggressively, the clivia is not wiped off, reducing the procedure to the minimum possible.
Top dressing and composition of fertilizers
Klivia is fed only during the period of active growth. The start of feeding is the beginning of the growing season, feeding is stopped by the fall. For clivia, fertilizing is needed in half in reduced doses with a frequency of 1 time per week during the growth of the peduncle (starting from 2-3 weeks after the resumption of watering) before flowering. After flowering until September, top dressing is done as standard – once every 1-2 weeks. For this plant, you can only use fertilizer for flowering crops.
Pruning and transplanting
Pruning comes down to removing the peduncle. Trimming leaves poorly, with the exception of wilted greenery.
Clivias don’t like frequent transplants. Only for the first few years, the plant is overturned annually or every two years, as the space of the pot is filled. Adult clivias are reloaded once every 1-3 years, slightly increasing the capacity. When the maximum size of the containers is reached, the clivia is not transplanted. They simply replace the topsoil twice a year, or at least in spring, and make top dressing more intensive.
This plant prefers not very tall, cramped containers. Since clivias are massive, grow in large groups, and their inflorescences are heavy, they must be grown in very stable containers or with heavy drainage. Ceramic pots are ideal for clivia.
These plants will prefer nutritious, clayey, rough substrates – special soils for Amaryllis.
Read also our article 5 of the most striking indoor plants from the tropics.
Indoor clivia suffer only from dampness, decay due to stagnant water at the bottom of the soil. Scabbards and felt insects are quickly “thrown” on them in the vicinity of infected plants.
The main breeding method for clivia is simple separation. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Extravagant Gardens
Reproduction of clivia
The main breeding method for clivia is simple separation. Clivias grow so much that with each transplant, old plants can be divided into 2-3 parts or separate daughter rosettes.
It is not easy to grow clivia from seeds, and you will have to wait at least 5 years for the first flowering. Sow the seeds of clivia freshly harvested, into light soil, slightly covering with a layer of sand. Under a film or glass, at a temperature of about 23 degrees, seedlings appear unevenly and slowly. Seedlings are very fragile during the first year and require multiple picks.
