Clivia

Amaryllidaceae

Kaffir Lily

They have deep green, glossy, strap-shaped leaves up to 60cm long. The flowers are produced on stems in terminal umbels in groups of as many as sixty. Each flower has three petals and three sepals which are joined at the base to create a tube. Flowers are generally in shades or red, yellow and orange.  

Uses

Pot plants, conservatory plants, greenhouse plants.

Culture

These plants are not hardy and require warm summer temperatures with a minimum of 16°C. They need protection from frost. Plants only need watering if the soil dries out.

Propagation

This may be done by planting ripe seeds in individual pots. Division for named cultivars.

Cultivars

There are large numbers of named cultivars and new ones being bred and selected all of the time. Species include:

C.miniata - to 45cm high. These have spreading leaves and orange-red broad trumpet-shaped flowers to 7.5cm long from early spring through to late summer.

C. nobilis -  to 30cm high. These have orange-red narrow trumpet-shaped flowers with a light green tip to 7.5cm long in late spring.

 

Plant Health

They are prone to no diseases of note. Mealy bugs may be a problem. 

More info

There are six species of this genus, all originating from South Africa and Swaziland. 

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