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STARTING OUT: Growing tips for your Clivia

by Elizabeth Peters April 18, 2013 3 Comments

 

CLIVIA CULTURE:
 
Here are some general "Growing 101" tips to help you with growing your new Clivia plants.
 
For more reference, please see Harold Koopowitz's CliviasClick here for more information.

To shop our selection of Clivias, please click here.

Clivia make excellent houseplants or landscape plants in warm climates. They respond very well to being bare-rooted, so they are shipped out of their pots. You will need to either put them into new pots on arrival or plant them outdoors. Some plants grown indoors like to spend the summer outdoors. They do very well as long as they are given enough shade.

 

INDOORS:


Soil:
 Clivia will grow in many different potting soils, but they must have good aeration. It must be very free-draining, but still contain a lot of organic matter. I use a mix that is about 25% bark, 25% peat, and 50% pumice. They seem to really like this mix.


Light:
 Clivia are prone to sunburn, so a north or east facing window is best.


Fertilizer:
 Clivia are amazingly easy to please. They appreciate some food every once in a while, but are not fussy. Any all purpose fertilizer will do. Do not fertilize during the winter, and only when the plant is in active growth.


Blooming:
 The important factor in stimulating blooming is cool night temperatures in the fall and winter. It might help to put the plants close to the window (thus getting cool drafts) or in a room that is not heated as much at night. Remember to water less frequently in the winter and whenever temperatures are lower than normal.


Temperature:
 Clivia should be protected from frost. While they may survive a slight frost, the damage to the leaves will be catastrophic and can take years to grow out. Frost damage also will often lead to fungal infections that cause further damage. Typical indoor temperatures are very pleasing to Clivias.

 

OUTDOORS:


Clivia will thrive outdoors in zones 10 (in a protected spot) and warmer.


Soil:
 It is vital that the soil be very well-drained.


Light:
 Clivia must have a shady place to grow. Under a large tree or against the north side of a wall, Clivia will get the protection they need.


Temperature:
 Clivia must be protected from frost, but they do like to have a drop in night temperatures for best blooming.

 
 




Elizabeth Peters
Elizabeth Peters

Author


3 Responses

linda garloch
linda garloch

June 14, 2020

have a clivia purchased 2 years ago. it in large pot outside facing east.gets morning sunshine then shade in afternoon. it has never bloomed but is very healthy has babies along side of mother plant. was fertilized in autumn. why not blooms??

budularo
budularo

June 14, 2020

I love the 2 Clivia I bought from your nursery. They were perfectly healthy when I received them and never skipped a beat since I planted them up. They have not bloomed yet but are putting on new growth and looking like they are preparing to do so soon. Thank you for your great customer service and great plant selection.

jenine
jenine

January 27, 2016

I live in NC, and I have my passion flower in the garage. I water it once a month.
Should I cut it back in the spring?

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