Location
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Place clivias in bright, filtered or indirect light. Avoid direct sun in summer, as it can scorch the leaves
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Keep plants away from radiators and other heat sources, and out of cold draughts
Over winter, move clivias to a cool or unheated room, at about 10°C (50°F). An enclosed porch, cool hallway, or a conservatory, greenhouse or similar, might also suit. This mimics the winter conditions in the plant’s A native plant is one that originated or arrived naturally in a particular place without human involvement. In the British Isles, native plants are those that were here during the last ice age or have arrived unaided since.
Clivias can also be moved outdoors over the summer months, after hardening off, into a warm, sheltered spot. Keep them out of direct sun. They can usually cope down to 5°C (41°F), so bring them back indoors in late summer or early autumn, before night temperatures fall too low.
Watering
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In spring – gradually increase watering as the flower A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers.
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In summer and autumn – water regularly
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In winter – water sparingly, but never let the Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.
Always take care not to overwater clivias, as the roots can rot in soggy compost, especially over winter. A drier spell in winter helps to initiate flowering.
Feeding
To boost growth and flowering, you can feed weekly with a general liquid houseplant fertiliser throughout spring.
Also, top-dress containers annually in early spring – remove the top layer of compost and replace with fresh potting compost.
Encourage flowering
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Clivias flower best when well established in a container that’s at least 20cm (8in) in diameter
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In winter (November to February), move your clivia to a cool but bright spot, at about 10°C (50°F). Water sparingly, but don’t let the compost dry out
- In March, move it back into a well-lit position, at about 16°C (60°F), and increase watering. Keep the compost just moist, but never waterlogged. Apply a balanced liquid houseplant feed weekly until flower buds form
Deadheading
Once all the flowers in the cluster have faded, remove the whole flower stem at the base. It’s best to wear gloves for this, as the Sap is a fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, in a similar way to blood moving through our veins. Phloem sap carries the sugars produced in the leaves by photosynthesis down to roots and other storage organs, as well as carrying minerals and hormones. Xylem sap is watery and transports nutrients absorbed by the roots upwards to the rest of the plant. Some plants leak sap from wounds or pruning cuts, and this is known as bleeding.
