I've got a young one... it hasn't flowered for me yet. It's actually an offset from a larger plant, and was a gift from a dear friend.

It has no bulb, but the roots are fleshy and thick... the leaves are strap-like, and will grow symmetrical if directly under good light. Mine doesn't because I keep it in a south window that's shaded by a large Sycamore tree. Clivia doesn't require really bright light, so mine is happy being shaded a bit.

I allow it to dry out before watering, and I fertilize it just like I do my Hippeastrum bulbs, with a weak solution of MiracleGro liquid every other watering.

The medium it's in is very loose and free-draining, rather bonsai like in nature, with larger particles. It drains almost immediately upon watering, and the Clivia is very happy in it!

I can't wait for it to bloom, but I have patience... I don't think it will bloom for a while yet. It's a rather slow grower, but it seems very happy in its clay pot, sitting in between two other bulbs on the south shaded window sill!

Mine is the "miniata", and will have orange flowers. I love it... it's a wonderful plant! It's very easy to grow... for me, anyway... and it's fairly care-free. From what I understand, they hate wet feet, rather like Hippeastrum bulbs. I'll probably cut back on watering over winter, as I'm sure growth will slow at that time.

I think there's actually a Clivia Forum, and if you Google Clivia, you'll get a wealth of information! I really like mine... I think you'd like them, too!

Clivia miniata...
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Thanks Jodik--

I came across someone who had a bunch sent to them from a friend also-- and they're looking to unload them as the friend sent too many! I don't want to add another plant until I know I have room for one at the new place but it is hard to resist-- I think the plant looks great!

Thanks for sharing,
Ryan

I would take one anyway... and find room for it later! Clivia plants can be rather expensive, depending on where you get it from and what size it is! It's a pretty slow grower, so offsets shouldn't take up much room or grow too big too fast, so size shouldn't be an issue for a while. Mine is in a tall clay pot, but it's narrow... about 4 inches, but the tall model.

If it were me, I'd say "thanks!", and grab one!

Happy to share information if I can!

Jodik--

Do they liked the somewhat cramped root situation amarylli seem to enjoy?

I'm not entirely sure, but this one is still rather small... I don't plan on re-potting until next spring, and I'm not even sure it'll need a larger pot. It grows pretty slow, so I would think it will take a while to fill the pot completely with tangled roots. So far, there are none showing through the drainage hole.

Hi Ryan! I just received a Clivia Miniata division like a month ago. Knowing nothing about Clivias, I just planted it just like a newly purchased hippie bulb. It just sat there for weeks doing nothing...and still is...lol! Anyway, I have searched for info about it and found this. Hope this helps...

Here is a link that might be useful: Clivia Info

Ryan, take the plant!!!! LOL
Their are many different opinions of weather to keep them cramped or not. I've got one that has been in a gallon nursery pot for quite a few years and has produced offsets. I keep it out of direct sun and water very sparingly in the winter. It also is in room that drops to the 40s at night over the winter. If it's cool, dry, and shaded most of the winter/spring it blooms for me. And yes it is very crowded. I separated one offset earlier this year with the intent of repotting the mother plant, well, I had a garden mishap and the plant is sitting back in it's gallon pot, all roots! There is almost no soil in the pot after all these years. Now, I have to wait till next season to repot I don't want to chance damaging it during it's rest period. I love this plant!
Chaz
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The flowers are such a gorgeous shade of orange, and I love the yellow eye! Just beautiful, Chaz! Mine should look exactly the same when in bloom... vibrant!

I don't know how old or large an offset must be to bloom, but I'm hoping that with good culture, it won't be too long! So far, this little guy seems very happy sitting in the little bit of dappled sun coming in the south window... it's grown a few leaves since I've had it, and appears to like how I've been treating it.

After doing some research, I found out that they prefer a very loose medium... almost like orchid bark. Mine is in a bonsai type of medium, which has larger particles than potting soil, but not quite as large as orchid bark.

Based on everything I've read about Clivia, they make ideal houseplants! They prefer shade, don't like to be over-watered, and multiply fairly quickly. The blooms are supposed to be faintly fragrant, and sweet. We'll see!

As I said... I love it! It's very easy to care for, almost thriving on neglect! It's common name is the Kaffir Lily.

Yes, Ryan, mosey on down to the Clivia Forum on the GardenWeb, and you'll find lots of tips. Like when the scape starts to come up, not to water, it may cause the scape to stop in it's tracks (like mine did) and try to bloom while it is still stuck down in the base of the leaves (and rot). Or that a clivia needs to be mature with approx 10 - 12 large strap like leaves to be able to bloom. Yes, crowded roots are supposed to be good, forgetting about watering it and leaving it somewhere cool are excellent practices, and the people doing this report their plant as blooming happily in early spring.

Enjoy it.

~ kioni ~

Ryan -- I have a mature plant of the plain orange Clivia miniata that Chaz provided a picture for. I keep mine with it's root crowded in a clay azaelea pot in a orchid bark/coco coir mixture. I would highly recommend you take this plant if it's being offered to you free, although lately the orange is becoming common and mature plants usually cost only $15-$30. Clivia does not take much room and is really low maintenance (I only water once a week or sometimes even once every two weeks) and mine never fails to bloom in spring -- early summer. Good luck and I hope the move is going well. =)

I've got several that I've started from seeds. The blooms from my babies should be yellow!

In case you are interested, there are several vendors on Ebay (from China) that sell seeds for $2-3 each. I had very good luck with them last year (waxlily or a similar name). You have to peel off the incredibly thin layer that coats the seed under the flesh. Very different from Amaryllis, but beautifu plants/blooms!

They were originally a house plant and are also called a Kafir Lilly, I think. Post Ike my head's a mess!
:-)

Kristi

Well thanks so much everyone....I come here seeking advice and what do I get? Messages telling me to just get the darn plant!

Well I did...so much for controlling my plant addiction :o) We'll see if I like this plant! Good grief... I'm hopeless!

I'll try to post a pic after we move this weekend and after I actually get the plant!

You asked, we answered! As you know, bulb lovers are never too shy to share opinions or advice when it comes to gardening! :-)

I'm glad you caved in and got your Clivia! I think you'll enjoy it! It's one of those "pot it and forget it" type of plants... they almost thrive on neglect!

Make sure the mix you pot it in is extremely fast-draining... you could go so far as to pot it in a fine orchid bark medium, and it will do good. As I said, I have mine in a bonsai mix, which is very free-draining, having larger particles than potting soil. I'd even go so far as to say that it wouldn't do well in normal bagged potting soil, but I'm sure there are those that would disagree.

The point I'm trying to make is... don't over-water! Clivia do not like wet feet at all!

All that said, you already know there is no cure for a plant addiction... just go with it! You'll feel so much better surrounded by all that greenery! If you're hopeless, what does that make me? I'm so far beyond the point of no return, I doubt therapy would help! But if it's wrong to love gardening, I don't wanna be right! LOL!

Jodik-- LOL Well no one is going to accuse you of being wrong! Thanks for your co-dependency/support !o) If anyone scolds me for another plant, I'll tell them the garden forum made me do it. That way I'm off the hook and you guys can remain bits and bytes in cyber space.

"The Garden Forum Made Me Do It" Love it!! Must tell my sceptical husband that one lol!! Me thinks you're going to like this plant. Bought my first one in 1986, and have the pup and grand pups, from the original.They are even fairly easy to grow from seed,[same as the Hipps,self pollinate the flowers to get seed] sorry to ramble,Good Growing.
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Hi Beetle! Thanks for posting your Clivia pics. Their seeds are so cute and look like orange marbles. Are the Clivia seeds really that easy to grow?
I will be receiving Clivia seeds from South Africa of very good and rare varieties including variegated ones and I am getting so worried I'd make a "Boo-boo". It is not the best time to plant seeds here now. It IS getting cold. Any tips for me?

Hi Maria, first I need to confess I am not an expert on clivia growing, I just started little time ago to try growing them from seeds, but I am learning through my errors, and I made a lot. Thankfully I find a lot of information in the web so I post you a page with "growing clivias from seed information", it is very helpful at least for me.
On my side I can tell you, clivia seeds hates humidity, they rot, I have well water so I need to sterilized it to water them, I boiled it and put some drops of bleach, some drops of superthrive and then water them from below.
Never let them be to wet, they prefer to be in the dry-ish side.
The other VERY important thing is to sterilized everything you work with, they are very prone to rot or mold or fungus and virus and thing like that, check them frequently and as I don't like to throw away anything till I am sure I can not get them back I put them on separate pots.
For me, here in Florida, they are harder than amaryllis seeds, but I keep trying, so far I have some seeds that start sprouting, and I am keeping my fingers cross.
I hope this helps you, Maria (this one from Florida).

Here is a link that might be useful: Start clivia seeds

Your'e very welcome mariava! You won't go wrong following the site mariae posted. It's just Excellant! probably refer to it again, myself lol! Good luck and happy growing!

Awesome seedling photos, Beetle! They're adorable! I must try those one of these days! I'll have to keep my eyes open for some yellow flowered Clivia seeds!

My Clivia is happy sitting in the dappled sun of my southern window... it's planted in a porous bonsai type of medium, as I mentioned before... I water is only when it's really dry, and I'll probably water it a bit less over winter.

I'm sweating the seed-starting I must do shortly... but I have to get these rain lily and hippi seeds planted soon, or they'll lose viability. I also have some daylily seeds to start, from crosses I made earlier this summer.

This week, we'll be hanging new shop light fixtures over my plant shelves, and this will give me plenty of space to grow over winter. I almost brought a professional grow light set-up back with me from up north, but it wouldn't fit in the car! I was rather disappointed, but I can pick it up next trip. I did score a nice digital thermometer, though... and that will help with determining what plants go where in my growing environment!

I'll be checking out that Clivia seed starting link this week, too... you never know when opportunity will strike, and I'd like to be prepared with the right knowledge!

Good luck to everyone who is growing from seed... and good luck to you, Ryan... you'll love your new Clivia, I think! And you can blame it all on me if you like... what the heck, the husband blames everything on me, anyway, so what's one more thing?! I can take it! LOL!

With us addicts, it can't be helped, you know... we just keep collecting and collecting!

Co-dependers/enablers--

Well you guys did it....again! I got my clivia today... it looks good...lots of leaves but they aren't too big. Any idea how big/many leaves I need before I can get a bloom?

The good thing is, despite our new home/apartment being small and plant, filled-- I didn't get a disapproving look from my wife :o) She knows I have a plant problem...I guess she counts herself lucky that its not an illegal plant! HA!

I'm not sure what constitutes a mature Clivia... or how many leaves or what age before bloom occurs. Anyone?

Larry is very understanding when it comes to my plant collecting, and in fact, he chose two of the new orchids I now have... a phal with sunset colored blooms, and a paph with green and white flowers. He's completely colorblind, and appreciates plants by shape and shade of gray... he really likes some of the hybrid hippis when they flower!

He was incredibly patient this past weekend, and spent quite some time browsing the orchid greenhouses with me! He did eventually get bored, and I found him out front, sitting on a bench, playing with his laptop! LOL!

i think they are sweet too! Thanks Jodi!
It never ends, does it! [the seed starting lol] Wel, thats what keeps us thriving and growing as gardeners.I tried getting seeds from my noid minerva, but they shriveled on the stalk. Next time , maybe.
Congrats on your new orchids!! we dont really have any big venders out here, but every feb, there is the huge orchid show in Edmonton,Alberta. I love the color of your Phal!! does too, look like a sunset! I have 3 of them,one in bloom, and two just growing lots of roots.
If you get the chance to pick up a light centre, that would be great! All that extra room for hippie babes lol!! or....more orchids!
I have read clivias need aprox 12 to 18 leaves, before you can expect bloom. Not sure if this is true, I have one with 20, sulking right now lol. but they are awesome plants, when they do bloom!
Happy growing, Fiona

Well... if 12-18 leaves are needed for blooming, it will be quite a while before mine decides to flower! It has a total of 5 leaves right now! I'm kind of glad it's not a demanding plant, and will take a while to mature... right now, I'm busy trying to get my hippi babies to acclimate to growing under lights, and learning about the individual needs of my new orchids! I'm glad that my little Clivia is a slow and independent grower!

My hippi babies appear to be losing a few leaves, and I'm sure it's due to the transition from outdoor growing to indoor growing... the difference in light has to be vast! I hope they make it! I think the larger ones will be ok, but I'm pretty certain some of the tinier ones will perish.